South Korea indicts 100 persons in nuclear safety certificates scandal

They have been charged with corruption.

South Korea said it has indicted 100 people on corruption charges in the country's biggest scandal over nuclear reactor safety. Those indicted include senior executives at state-run energy companies.

The government said 277 documents, or 1.2% of the total safety related documentation, was found to have been faked over the past 10 years at 20 of South Korea’s nuclear reactors.

The scandal forced reactor shutdowns which triggered power shortages during the peak summer demand period. It has also shaken public confidence in nuclear power, already damaged by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

South Korea has 23 commercial nuclear reactors, including three that are shut down. About a third of the country’s electricity comes from nuclear plants.

The safety scandal first came to light when two reactors were shut in November 2012 after the discovery of forged safety certificates for certain parts such as fuses and switches. Parts suppliers are suspected of bribing plant officials to accept their products with faked certification. South Korea has plans to build another 16 nuclear reactors by 2030.