Thousands protest at S. Korean nuclear complex

SEOUL (AFP) - Thousands of villagers staged a protest outside one of South Korea's largest nuclear power plants on Thursday, voicing growing public concern over safety standards after a series of scares and scandals.

Yonhap news agency said 2,500 local villagers took part in the protest outside the Yeonggwang complex on the southwest coast, where three of the plant's six nuclear reactors are currently in shutdown.

Media photos of the event showed protesters burning an effigy representing the state-run nuclear operating agency KHNP and holding up placards saying: "We feel uneasy!"

They are calling for an overall safety review of the plants.