South Korea has helped Jordan to begin operating its first nuclear reactor.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said Wednesday a groundbreaking ceremony for the Jordan Research and Training Reactor(JRTR) was held at Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan's second-largest city.

The five-megawatt facility was designed, produced and constructed by South Korea.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Daewoo Engineering and Construction formed a consortium in 2009 to build the reactor for 160 million U.S. dollars.

The reactor will be used for basic science research and to develop medical radioisotopes and new materials.