Greenpeace urged South Korea Friday to shut down its oldest nuclear reactor, expressing concern about its safety and drawing a parallel with a disaster-stricken reactor in Japan.

The anti-nuclear environmental group is currently sailing around South Korea on its campaign ship, the Rainbow Warrior, visiting and showing solidarity for communities sited around nuclear plants.

Greenpeace and the Korean Federation of Environmental Movement called in a statement for the immediate closure of the Gori 1 reactor 325 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Seoul.

The Gori 1 reactor, which has been in operation since 1978, was given an extension of 10 years starting in 2007 "in spite of the enormous risks associated with ageing reactors", the statement said.

The groups drew a parallel with a reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which was also given a 10-year extension before the nuclear emergency sparked by a tsunami.

"The Korean government must end this dangerous nuclear gamble by phasing out nuclear power plants in the country," said Harri Lammi, nuclear expert from Greenpeace East Asia.

He said South Korea had enough technological knowledge to leapfrog to clean renewable energy and provide a very safe future for the country.

A Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co spokesman said South Korea had inspected all its 21 nuclear power plants throughout the country following Japan's disaster in March.

"There is no change to our plan to operate and construct nuclear reactors," he said.

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