Malfunction shuts down S. Korea nuclear reactor

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea shut down one of its nuclear reactors on Tuesday following a malfunction in its control system but there was no risk of a radiation leak, plant operators said.

The 1,000MW Shingori 1 reactor near the southern city of Busan was shut down after a warning signal at 8.10am (7.10am Singapore time), the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) said.

"There was a malfunction in the reactor's control rod, but the reactor is now stable with no danger of a radiation leak," a KHNP spokesman told AFP.

It is the first time the reactor has been shut down since it began operations in February last year.