The government established the ad-hoc commission charged with gauging public opinion on the proposal and suspended the reactors'

construction last month until a decision is made. The reactors, whose construction began last year, were about 28.8 percent complete before their suspension.

But confusion has arisen over the exact role of the commission, including who has the final say on the reactors' fate. Commission officials said they would make a recommendation only, with the government making the final decision, while the government said the commission has the final say on the matter.

On Thursday, the commission met to determine its role.

"We have clearly confirmed that the commission is not an organization that will decide whether or not to halt the construction of Reactor 5 and 6, but it is an advisory organ delivering the results of public opinion to the government in the form of a recommendation," the commission said after the meeting.

The proposal to scrap the reactors' construction sparked heated debates in a country that relies on nuclear reactors for about one-third of its electricity. Proponents say the country should phase out nuclear power for safety and environmental reasons, but opponents say it will lead to a shortage in the power supply and a spike in electricity bills.

The commission plans to conduct an initial opinion poll on about 20,000 people and select 500 of the respondents as a jury that will be provided with more information on the issue and participate in debates and hearings. (Yonhap)