Local civic and environmental groups called on the nation's nuclear safety watchdog Thursday not to extend the license of an obsolete nuclear reactor on the east coast, citing safety concerns.

The Reactor Unit 1 at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant, located some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, stopped operations in November 2012 when its initial 30-year technical license expired. The reactor began its commercial operation in 1983. 

"The Wolsong No. 1 reactor whose recommended lifespan is over and safety remains unconfirmed should be scrapped," the groups said in a joint press conference in front of the main government building in central Seoul, where the commission meeting is underway.

"A team of civilian inspectors has raised problems with the reactor's safety, saying it cannot remain safe if it continues to run," they said. "It's illogical to extend the reactor's lifespan without clearing the safety concerns."

The groups also demanded measures to ensure that opinions of residents living near the nuclear reactor be reflected in the decision-making process and called for the establishment of a parliamentary panel to assess aging nuclear reactors.

The call came as the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission convened a meeting earlier in the day to determine whether to extend the reactor's license for another 10 years.

The meeting came after government inspectors concluded that the reactor's operation can be extended. (Yonhap)