Voting in a referendum to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant began on Sunday, with Korea keenly watching the process as one of the four candidates for the project if the referendum passes.

Kazakhstan votes in a referendum on Sunday on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, an idea promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's government as the Central Asian nation seeks to phase out polluting coal plants.

The plant, which is slated to be built close to Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan’s southeast, would take pressure off the coal-powered power stations on which the country heavily relies

The plan has faced public criticism on concern over any related hazards, the Soviet nuclear testing legacy, and fears that Russia will be involved in the project

Voters in Kazakhstan will decide on Sunday whether to allow construction of a nuclear power plant amid worries over the environmental impact.