Nuclear Safety and Security Commission

NSSC and KCA to Start Joint Inspection on Products Falsely Advertising Negative-Ion Effects

- The inspection will be carried out from March to December. – 

- The products worn in close contact with body and daily use products will be primarily targeted. -

On March 5, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as “NSSC”) announced that it would start a joint inspection with the Korea Consumer Agency (President Lee Heesuk, hereinafter referred to as “KCA”) on the products that have been wrongly advertising the negative-ion effects in an effort to strengthen the safety management of non-conforming products containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM).

This joint inspection will take place from March to the end of this year and be focused on the NORM-applied products that either have violated the safety standards or been making false or exaggerated advertisements about negative ions as if they have good effects on health.

As it was confirmed that there has been a growing number of the products making false advertisements about negative ions on open markets*, the NSSC and the KCA will utilize a civil monitoring group (Senior Consumer Rescuer**, composed of about 200 members) to intensively inspect those products that are worn in close contact with human body or used for a long period (for example, bedding, masks, and accessories) and daily use products as the products are closely related to the safety of people.

* Internet-based market where individuals and small-sized sellers can freely trade goods on-line

** This monitoring group members (aged over 66) were trained by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Korea Labor Force Institute for the Aged in order to monitor unjust advertisements and etc.

The NSSC will check whether the NORM-applied products have violated the safety standard set by the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the Natural Environment or included the effects of negative ions in their advertisements.

* Annual dose is 1 mSv, NORMS shall not be used in the products worn in close contact with human body or used for a long period and so on

The KCA will check the products that have not used NORMs but are advertising as if negative ions have good effects.

On the other hand, the NSSC and the KCA will train monitoring agents for the enhancement of their knowledge and skills in order to make this inspection more effective, and jointly hold a briefing session for the companies running open markets so that they have a better understanding of the products violating the safety standard for environmental radiation or making false advertisements, and they can be more vigilant in monitoring those products.

Chairperson Uhm Jaesik said, “This inspection is essential to ensure the public safety and protect consumers so we will closely work together to root out non-conforming products and form a safe consumer environment.” He also added, “The NSSC will make constant efforts to protect the public from threats of NORMs by cooperating with other relevant agencies and doing proactive administration so that people can feel safe.”

NSSC Launched Online License Service for Nuclear Licenses Application and Issuance

From March 3 rd the e Nuclear License Service will be open at license.kins.re.kr

Users can use the service s from check ing test schedule s to print ing a license more

easily through the website

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jae sik, hereinafter

referred to as the “ NSSC”) a nnounced that it would launch an “e license service” on

March 3 rd through which 7 types of licenses* related to nuclear energy Those

licenses were only possible to be issued, re issued and delivered by visit or mail, but

with the launch of the service, they can be simply printed on the website.

* Senior License for Radioact ive Isotopes (SRI); License for Radioactive Isotopes (RI); Special License

for Radioactive Isotope; Senior License for Nuclear Fuel Material Handling; License for Nuclear Fuel

Handling; License for Senior Reactor Operator (SRO); License for Reactor Operator (RO)

Thanks to this service, users are now able to check test schedule s for various licenses

related t o nuclear energy, submit applications, check whether they have passed or

failed the test, and print licenses at one website.

In addition, users w ill find this online service more conv e ni ent as they are now able

to see the status and history of their licenses and issuance progress in real time.

Until now, nuclear licenses were only able to be issued in the form of a notepad as

stipulated in the Nuclear Safety Act, and it was inconvenient to receive a license only

by mail. Furthermore, it needed additional time to deliver the license so there was a

need for improvement in the service

In order to solve this problem, the NSSC revised the Enforcement Decree of the

Nuclear Safety Act to add a print able form for the licenses and has been mending the

online system since last June so that users ca n print their licenses online.

Chairperson Uhm said, “The NSSC plans to actively discover and take on any tasks to

solve the inconvenience of the workers working at site and increase efficiency, such

as this “e license service ..”

NSSC and MOEL Announced Joint Response to Radiological Accidents in Industrial Sites

 - The NSSC and the MOEL signed an MoU for mutual cooperation that includes mutual notification upon the occurrence of an accident and joint investigation. –

On February 26th, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as the “ NSSC”) and the Ministry of Employment and Labor (Minister Lee Jaegap, hereinafter referred to as the “MOEL”) concluded an “MoU to jointly respond to radiological accidents at industrial sites” and agreed to form a joint response scheme which includes launching joint investigations when a radiological accident happens.

When a radiological accident happened at industrial site, the NSSC and the MOEL used to investigate the accident separately in accordance with their respective mandates* and separately conducted follow-up actions, such as preparation of plans to prevent recurrence, imposition of administrative actions and legal actions following the investigation result.

* The Nuclear Safety Act (NSSC), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (MOEL)

Accordingly, the NSSC and the MOEL had to work in two separate tracks where the NSSC had been in charge of radiological surveys, such as cause analysis of radiological accidents, and dose assessment, while the MOEL had mostly carried out investigations on general health and safety at the workplace. This two-track system made it difficult to carry out comprehensive and systematic surveys on safety management status and effective cause analysis.

This MoU was concluded as the NSSC and the MOEL shared the notion that a joint investigation is necessary to utilize expertise of the two ministries and to cooperate to reach practical and comprehensive investigation results by sharing investigation findings from the initial stage.

<Major cooperation areas>

① When a radiation exposure accident takes place at an industrial workplace, the NSSC and the MOEL forms a joint investigation scheme, jointly work during investigation, and withdraw comprehensive and systematic investigation results.

- As soon as an accident is noticed, the two ministries notify each other of the accident and jointly engage in an investigation. In consideration of accident types and characteristics, they discuss and determine roles, schedule, process and methods of the investigation.

- By actively sharing investigation findings according to the role of each agency throughout the investigation process, the NSSC and the MOEL pursue the enhancement of investigation reports and preparation of practical measures to prevent recurrence.

② In normal times, the NSSC and the MOEL cooperate to spread safety culture in industrial sites using radiation

- The NSSC and the MOEL jointly carry out inspections of companies with radiation safety vulnerability to prevent accidents.

- The two ministries mutually support each other by providing textbooks and experts when radiation safety trainings for industrial workers take place.

The NSSC and the MOEL agreed through this MoU to work together to create a safe working environment where the protection of workers is the top priority, which will enable the two agencies promptly respond to radiation exposure accidents at industrial sites and devise plans to prevent recurrence.

Chairperson Uhm Visited KIRAMS to Check Medical Response to Covid-19 and Remote Education and Training on Emergency Medical Treatment

On February 25th, Uhm Jaesik, Chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, visited the Korea Institute of Radiological Medical Sciences* (hereinafter referred to as the “KIRAMS”) and checked its medical responses against Covid-19 and remote emergency care training and education activities.

* In accordance with the Act on Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency, the KIRAMS is given the role of leading radiological emergency treatment, such as setting up the National Radiation Emergency Treatment Center, providing medical staff with the training and exercise for radiological emergency medical treatment, and treating patients exposed to radiation.

This visit was made to encourage and check medical responses to Covid-19 using radiation treatment facilities and equipment, as well as remote radiation emergency medical education and training activities following the national COVID-19 quarantine measures.

Chairman Uhm said, “I thank the medical staff of the KIRAMS and radiation emergency treatment centers for their long-term hard work fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic and active medical activities.” He also added, “I hope that they will continue the medical effort to fight against the virus and contain the spread of the virus, and ask them to make every effort for the work related to radiation emergency treatment.”

The NSSC supported the national-level response to the pandemic after the outbreak of the pandemic last year by allowing the radiation emergency resources, including treatment equipment and quarantine supplies, to be used for the fight against the virus, in consultation with the KIRAMS.

The NSSC will continue to do its best in supporting the medical responses to the pandemic, such as operating safety clinics and quarantine rooms, and providing quarantine supplies so that the pandemic situation can be stabilized as soon as possible.

NSSC Announced Member List of Non government Tritium Investigation Team for Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant

A “council to communicate current issues”, comprised of stakeholders including

residents, civil organizations and nuclear community, will be established

separately to provide comments , such as investigation scope, monitor the

investigation process, and derive policy improvement plans.

On February 22nd , t he Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm

Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as the “ NSSC”) announced as below the member list of

the 「 non governm ent investigation team to investigate tritium in the Wolsong NPP

site ( Leader Ham Seyeong, hereinafter referred to as the “investigation 」, all

composed of civil experts, which was formed in relation to the detection of tritium

within the Wolsong nuclear power plant site.

From now on, the investigation team will investigate all issues and suspicions that

have arisen as well as find out the cause of the tritium detection within the site and

whether the tritium has been leaked into the outside environment.

The progress of the investigation will be transparently made available at the Nuclear

Safety Information C enter* as soon as the investigation takes off.

* Nuclear Safety Information Center (http://nsic.nssc.go.kr/issue/tritum) ( C urrently under

development)

Also, the NSSC plans to form and run a “council to communicate current issues”,

separately from the investigation team, in order to guarantee transparency

throughout the investigation process.

The leader of the council will be taken by a nonstanding commissioner of the NSSC

commission, among those having been appointed on the recommendation of the

government. The council will have a total of 7 members, 2 members each from

regional communities, civil organizations and nuclear community.

The council will deliver opinions from each relevant sector, such as investigation

scope, monitor the activities of the investigation team, prepare policy improvement

plans by consulting each relevant sector and collecting opinions, and suggest them to

the NSSC.

Being aware of the public concerns over this issue, the NSSC will

clearly identify what are facts and what are not related to the tritium detected in the Wolsong site. When

the investigation result is confirmed, the NSSC will notify the public of the result in

detail by holding a “public briefing.”

The 133rd Meeting of the Commission Was Held 

■ The bill to close for the financial year of 202 0 was deliberated and passed.

■  he bill to modify the Notices of the ｢ Act for Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency ｣ for

specifying details of international transport of nuclear materials was deliberated and passed.

■ T he ｢ bill to modify the construction permit and operating license of nuclear facilities ｣ for the Wolsong

Units 2, 3, and 4, the Shinkori Units 1 and 2, the Shinwolsong Units 1 and 2, and the Hanul Units 5 and 6.

On February 19th, 2021, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter ref erred to as

the “NSSC”) held the 133 rd meeting of the Commission where the commissioners discussed and passed 3

bills.

※ In order to prevent the spread of COVID 19, commissioners’ meetings have been held in the form of a meeting with limited

face to face interactions since April 10th by minimizing the number of attendees, checking body temperatures, wearing masks and physic ally distancing from each other.

The Commissioners deliberated and passed the bill to close the general account and the Nuclear Fund

(Nuclear Safety Regulation Account) for the year of 2020, and accordingly, the Statement of Accounts will

be submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Finance in accordance with the ｢ National Finance Act ｣

The Commissioners also deliberated and passed the bill to modify the Notices of the

｢ Act for Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency ｣ . This bill wi ll allow specifying regulatory details for international

transport necessary for the implementation of the Act (slated for June 9 th , 2021) that was revised (Law

number 17639, promulgated on June 9 th , 2020) for stronger protection of international transport of nuclear

materials.

The commissioners deliberated and passed the ｢ bill to modify the construction permit and operating license

of nuclear facilities ｣ , applied by the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (President Jeong Jaehun). The bill will

allow ➊ changing the possible measurement range of the water level of the rupture plate of the emergency

core cooling system of the Wolsong Unit 2; ➋ changing the low pressure alarm settings of the high  pressure injection tank of the emergency core cooling system of the Wolsong Units 2, 3, and 4 and ➌ reflecting the results of the re evaluation of common cause failures of the reactor protection system of the Shinkori Units 1 and 2, the Shinwolsong Units 1 and 2, the Hanul Units 5 and 6.

However, the commissioners decided to re discuss seven modifications related to the construction permits,

including reflection of the confirmed detailed design of the reactor coolant system for the ShinKori Units 5

and 6 after supplementing the bill , at a next meeting.

On the other hand, the commissioners were briefed on two agenda items the progress and contents of the

research on the Passive Autocatalytic Recombiner (PAR) and the matters related to the licensing of the

operating license of the Shinhanul Unit 1 for the 6 th time for wh ich briefings have been underway since the

128 th meeting (held on November 13 th

For an extra agenda item, the commissioners were briefed on the result of the periodic inspection of the

Wolsong nuclear power plant conducted by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety.