Nuclear Safety and Security Commission

Solid Nuclear Safety Based on Science and Technologies


The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) presented its Work Plan to the President on December 17 at the Sejong Convention Center. The Work Plan comprises core policy initiatives aligned with the vision of “Solid Nuclear Safety Based on Science and Technologies”.

This Work Plan is structured around three directions to respond to multiple regulatory demands, such as securing nuclear energy safety to back up the Government’s energy-mix policy, developing various types of small modular reactors (hereinafter, SMRs), preparing for the adoption of spent fuel storage/disposal facilities, and continued operation.

The NSSC plans to:
① Verify the safety of nuclear facilities thoroughly based on science, technologies, and data
② Establish the regulatory system on time to respond to new regulatory demands
③ Secure the public trust by actively opening regulatory information and communicating with people on topics that garner lots of attention, such as continued operation and new NPPs.

1 Verify the Safety of Nuclear Facilities Thoroughly

The NSSC plans to confirm the safety of nine reactors that have applied for continued operation, including Kori NPP Units 3 and 4. Kori NPP Unit 2 was reviewed for continued operation and approved last November. Based on this experience, safety will be assessed using a systematic, consistent method. If there are any discrepancies in reactor type or technical specifications, a detailed review will be conducted.

A thorough on-site review of Kori Unit 2 will confirm whether the improved installation meets safety standards until its recommissioning.

Meanwhile, the radiation environmental impact assessment is planned to clarify the accident's scope and prevent confusion, as some questioned the accuracy of the regulation during the approval process for the continued operation of Kori Unit 2.

The RER was originally designed to gather local residents' opinions near NPPs. However, it is criticized for being too specialized and technical, making it hard to understand. Therefore, to improve local residents' understanding, a more detailed explanation of the Radiation Environmental Report will also be mandatory.

The licensees’ implementation status will be closely monitored to ensure this year’s world-first-approved accident management program is executed systematically and to cultivate practical response capability. Training for on-site personnel on the AMP and drills linked to the radiation emergency framework will also be conducted.

Moreover, it plans to verify whether the actual training aligns with one’s assigned responsibilities and authorities under the accident management implementation system, with roles divided into main control room operators, site operators, and radiation emergency response personnel. Additionally, the placement of new equipment, such as mobile power-generating/pumping vehicles for emergency response at the site, and the operating status of the organization-in-charge are evaluated through drills. These will lead to the actual verification of the operational capacity of the accident management installation.

The regional emergency preparedness framework for protecting residents is planned to be completed to prevent simultaneous multi-site incidents caused by earthquakes and severe accidents, such as the Fukushima NPP accident.

The Ulju Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center (hereinafter referred to as the Regional Center*) was established in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, in 2022, and the Hanul Regional Center was completed in Uljin-gun, Kyungbuk, in 2025. Once the Hanbit Regional Center is built in Buan-gun, Jeonbuk, in 2026, there will be a total of eight centers: five off-site emergency management centers (hereinafter, emergency management centers**) and three regional centers.

* (Regional Center) located 30~43 km away from an NPP

** (Emergency Management Center) located 10~14 km away from an NPP, and a research reactor is 5 km away.

In addition, the crisis management manual for the NPP safety sector (radiation exposure) is planned for a more detailed revision, enabling the regional centers to respond to accidents without interruption, even if the emergency management center becomes uninhabitable as the situation worsens.

2 Establish the foundation for safety regulation to respond to a new regulatory demand

The NSSC will strengthen the regulatory system to ensure the safety of small modular reactors (SMRs), whose design characteristics differ from those of conventional large-scale power reactors. It will also supplement the existing regulatory scope, currently limited to power/research/educational, to include shipment, heat supply, and hydrogen production. Standards designated to SMRs that verify the intrinsic safety features of the innovative design will also be developed.

The Regulatory Research Team has been operating since 2026, with multiple developers and researchers assigned to each reactor type to discuss technical characteristics and key safety issues. It will establish and institutionalize the basis for pre-review, allowing the regulatory body’s review even before a licensing application is submitted.

To proceed systematically, the 「Roadmap for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Regulatory Framework」 was established and announced in 2026. The Nuclear Safety Act is also expected to be revised.

For a spent fuel disposal facility, the construction permit and operating license will be separate to enable detailed safety reviews at each step, given the more than 30-year construction timeline. In collaboration with the High-level Radioactive Waste Management Committee and the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, safety issues would be proactively addressed, ensuring safety.

Moreover, it will secure an organization responsible for strengthening regulatory capacity in new areas, and enhance cooperation with international agencies to build an internationally accepted regulatory system.

3 Secure a Strong Safety Net to Protect Against Radiation Risks and Increase Public Trust

Human resources and equipment for radioactivity analysis will be increased to enable systematic and reliable monitoring of radioactivity in neighboring countries, including ongoing discharges of Fukushima-contaminated water.

The number of radiation monitors at the freight terminal at Incheon Airport will increase from 22 to 27 to enhance monitoring of foreign direct-purchasing items. The nationwide environmental radiation automatic monitoring network for early detection of radiation emergencies is also going to expand from 251 to 255 monitors, making the network denser.

Recently, radiation workers have experienced accidents more frequently. To reduce accidents, training at radiation-using institutions is planned to be used for strengthening the safety management capacity, and institutions below the standards will be encouraged to seek consultations. Flight attendants, who are exposed to cosmic radiation during extended work periods on international air routes, will undergo detailed exposure calculations to ensure robust safety management.

Nuclear safety information will be provided transparently, as it garners our people’s attention, including the continued operation, new NPPs, and NPP safety affected by climate change. Its information-sharing system will be significantly improved to make professional terms and technical documents easier to understand.

The original text of the safety regulation, written in professional terms, will be supplemented with easier-to-understand explanatory materials, and all information currently scattered across licensees, regulatory institutes, etc., will be integrated into the online one-stop information service.

Moreover, the offline information-sharing center, to be installed near NPPs, is scheduled to communicate with local residents year-round by providing in-person explanations of local licensing and safety information to build public trust.

Chairperson Choi Won-ho said, “We will precisely check the safety of nuclear facilities based on science and technology, and thoroughly protect the people from radiation.”

Fostering Experts with Safety in Mind Lays Groundwork for Nuclear Safety


- The NSSC discussed how to develop talents with faculty from 12 nuclear/radiation departments.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) hosted a ‘Nuclear Safety Roundtable*’ (hereinafter, the Roundtable) with faculty members from nuclear and radiation departments of 12 domestic universities on December 5 (Friday) to gather various insights from academia on developing nuclear safety specialists.

* Led by the NSSC Chairperson to enhance knowledge and understanding of safety through diverse communication with various sectors. It aims to incorporate opinions from regulatory sites, such as industrial, academic, and research institutes, into policies (conducted seven times in 2025).


< Nuclear Safety Roundtable (Dec 5) Overview >

󰋮 (Objective) Gather opinions on ‘fostering personnel specialized in safety’ by engaging with faculty members who majored in nuclear/radiation fields to incorporate their feedback into future policies.

󰋮 (Date/Location) December 5, 2025 (Friday) 14:00~ 16:30 / Third Floor Conference Room, Voco Seoul Myeongdong (Jung-gu), Seoul

󰋮 (Participant) 20 in total, including professors from 12 nuclear/radiation departments, the NSSC, and other relevant institutions.

- (University) Kangwon National University, Kyung Hee University, Daegu Catholic University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Eulji University, Jeonbuk National University, Chosun University, Hanyang University, UNIST, and KAIST

- (Graduate School) Kyung Hee University, Seoul National University, KAIST, and POSTECH

- (Relevant Institute) The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, and the Korea Foundation of Nuclear Safety.


Since 2020, the NSSC has supported universities by developing nuclear safety-related curricula through the ‘fostering personnel specialized in safety initiative’. Additionally, in 2024, it established master’s and doctoral programs at graduate schools and has supported joint projects among industry, academia, and research institutions.

Moreover, the NSSC plans to promote training for field experts from industry, academia, research, and government to serve as human resources for professors, so their field-based knowledge and experience with safety regulations can be more effectively conveyed to students.

At this Roundtable, the outcomes of the safety-focused personnel development initiative to date and the plan for 2026 were briefed. Moreover, various opinions were shared on the considerations that should be addressed as policies proceed, including the experience and challenges of teaching college students.

NSSC Chairperson Choi Won-ho emphasized his message, saying, “Personnel in the nuclear sector have long been fostered in technical development. However, on-site safety could be further strengthened by encouraging talents to be equipped with scientific safety knowledge and a safety culture.” “Please design and run the curricula with all efforts, so that the vivid knowledge and experience from the regulatory sites can be passed down to our students,” he asked.

NSSC Confirmed 2026 Budget; 292.7 billion Won

It has increased 5.7% compared to the budget for 2025, 276.9 billion won.

Investments in R&D for future reactor regulation have increased, including for small modular reactors (SMRs).

Completed the radiation emergency response system with the construction of the Hanbit Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center.

Expanded surveillance on radiation for overseas direct purchase items.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) submitted the 『Budget Plan and Fund Operation Plan 2026』, and the National Assembly finally resolved it on 2nd, December.

The NSSC budget and funds for the upcoming year will total 292.7 billion won. During deliberations in the National Assembly, it was confirmed to be at a similar level to the government bill (292.6 billion won). Compared to this year's budget, the amount has increased by 5.7%. This is the result of reflecting a pan-governmental keynote, emphasizing that active budgeting for broader R&D investment is necessary to become a global leader.


1    Increase investment in R&D to prepare for future regulatory demands

The NSSC will allocate 119.1 billion won to R&D projects this year, a 17.4 billion won increase, to proactively develop technologies for future regulatory demands.

In particular, 22.5 billion won will be invested in a small modular reactor (SMR). The government is currently proceeding with research and development to quickly address regulatory requirements across the entire lifecycle of an innovative small modular reactor (i-SMR), from design to decommissioning. Moreover, the relevant regulatory framework for various types of non-light-water SMRs that do not use water as a coolant will be established in advance.


2    Verify the safety and improve the efficiency of the entire NPP cycle

The 63 billion won budget will be invested to conduct comprehensive safety checks across the entire cycle—from design and construction through operation, continued operation, and decommissioning—for all domestic NPPs.

In particular, the standard design approval for i-SMR will be requested soon. To ensure a flawless review process, professional staff should be secured, and the related costs of 3.1 billion won would be concentrated on support.


3    Establish the large-scale radiation emergency preparedness framework with the completion of Hanbit Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center.

In May 2022, the Ulju Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center (located in Ulju-gun, Ulsan / 30 km from Saeul and 38 km from Wolsong) was established, and the Hanul Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center (located in Uljin-gun, Kyungbuk / 43 km from Hanul) was established in March 2025. Once the Hanbit Regional Off-site Emergency Response Center (Buan-gun, Jeonbuk / located 31 km from Hanbit NPP) is completed, a total of eight centers will be built, including five Off-site Emergency Management Centers and three Regional Off-site Emergency Response Centers.

Once the regional radiation emergency response system is completed by 2026, the on-the-spot emergency response system, which is capable of handling large-scale NPP accidents such as the Fukushima accident, will be established, enhancing preparedness for national radiation emergencies and protecting the public.


4    Secure radiation monitoring networks for overseas direct-purchase items

The NSSC plans to allocate 370 million won from its budget to enhance the monitoring of incoming materials suspected of containing radiation entering Korea. More radiation monitors will be installed and operated at Incheon Airport as the number of overseas direct-purchase items through airports increases.

The portion of overseas direct-purchase items through e-commerce express is up to 94%. However, its monitoring rate was only about 72%. With five additional monitors in 2026, the rate is going to increase to 80%. It is expected that people will feel more relieved when purchasing goods, as radiation monitoring for overseas direct-purchase items is strengthened.

Chairperson Choi Won-ho stated, “The NSSC plans to meticulously get prepared for implementation by establishing a project plan this year, so the public can clearly see the NSSC’s main policies. We will focus on nuclear and radiation safety to ensure thorough protection of public safety.”

NSSC Allowed Criticality of Shinkori NPP Unit 2 During Periodic Inspection

- Will confirm the final safety through follow-up tests such as a power ascension test

On November 28, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) allowed the criticality* of Shinkori NPP Unit 2, following a periodic inspection that began on October 25, 2025.

* A state in a reactor where nuclear fission chain reactions happen continuously, reaching an equilibrium where the number of neutrons generated equals to the number of neutrons extinct.

The NSSC tested 80 of the 91 required items that must be completed before reaching criticality and confirmed that the reactor could safely reach that state in the future.

The periodic inspection verified that the adhesive anchors* of the essential service water system meet the performance standards. Additionally, the fire barriers, including the internal conduit within the reactor containment building, comply with the relevant technical standards.

* Adhesive anchors were approved for use after the performance test (NSSC’s approval in August 2024) and reaffirmed the performance of already-installed anchors during this periodic inspection.

Based on the results of these periodic inspections, the NSSC approved Shinkori Unit 2 to reach criticality. Safety will be finally confirmed through follow-up tests (11), including a power ascension test.

226th Meeting of Commission


The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) deliberated and resolved two agenda items at its 226th meeting of the Commission on November 26 (Wednesday).


[Deliberation/Resolution Item 1]

The NSSC finally approved the construction permit and operating license for the comprehensive waste management facility (draft) requested by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, based on the evaluation results from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety and a review by the Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute requested a construction permit and an operating license for a new comprehensive waste management facility to handle radioactive waste generated by KAERI and to replace the aged facility. It is an integrated management facility with storage and disposal functions for radioactive waste. Its total storage capacity is 6256 drums, and its annual processing capacity is 2300 drums.

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety confirmed that the safety of the site where the facility will be located, and the safety of structures against earthquakes, floods, and fires, as well as its ventilation and exhaust systems to prevent contamination, meet the standards for location, structure, facility, and performance. The exposure doses at the site where the waste disposal facility and other KAERI facilities are located also meet the standards. Furthermore, essential equipment and human resources are in place, and the quality assurance manual for construction and operation, covering design and procurement management, shows its compliance with legislative standards.


[Deliberation/Resolution Item 2]

The NSSC deliberated and resolved the modification of the operating license (draft) for Kori Unit 2 to establish MACST*, which Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power applied for to proceed with the accident management program for Kori Unit 2, receiving its approval last October.

* Multi-barrier Accident Coping STrategy

The Multi-barrier Accident Coping STrategy (MACST) is a method for maintaining and restoring the core cooling function and ensuring the safety of the containment building, even in the event of partial failures of existing equipment resulting from extreme natural disasters or severe accidents. This modification to the operating license involves the creation of a new external injection line within the relevant systems, such as the reactor coolant system, the containment building spray system, and the open cooling water system. It is designed to supply cooling water from the outside via portable pump trucks in the case of an emergency.

The NSSC confirmed that the safety grade, standards, and seismic capacity of the newly installed pipes and valves in the external injection line meet the relevant technical standards. Additionally, overall checks and continuous safety monitoring will be conducted during installation and throughout future operation.

NSSC Discussed on Cosmic Radiation Safety Management with Domestic 10 airlines

- The NSSC shared the 2400-time measured value of cosmic radiation.

The Korea Civil Aviation Association shared good practices for exposure dose management.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Choi Won-ho, hereinafter referred to as the NSSC) held a meeting with domestic airlines* operating international air routes in the main conference room of the Korea Civil Aviation Association (Seoul Gangseo-gu) on November 25 (Tuesday). The safety management status of cosmic radiation against flight attendants and good practices were shared, and challenges from the site were discussed.

* (Participated Airlines) Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Aero_K, Air Busan, airzeta, Air Premia, Jeju air, Jin air, t’way, and Parata Air (10)

Since June 2023, the NSSC has been solely responsible for managing the safety regulations for cosmic radiation. It checked and shared the results of the computing system on flight attendants’ exposure doses that air transportation operators manage, as well as on whether health diagnosis management is suitable.

To systematically and scientifically manage exposure doses for flight attendants who are frequently exposed to cosmic radiation, cosmic radiation doses were directly measured approximately 2400 times last year. The data were analyzed and showed that the current exposure dose evaluation used for domestic airlines complies with standards, and the results were shared.

Meanwhile, the Korea Civil Aviation Association introduced good practices* for exposure management, where several airlines control flight attendants’ exposure doses to levels even below the standard, 6 Millisievert (mSv) per year.

* (Air Premia) The cockpit crew is managed through monitoring, categorizing risk groups, and including in/excluding from work schedules based on exposure doses. The cabin crew changes their work schedules if the exposure dose reaches 5.0~5.5 mSv annually.

Along with this, participants also discussed how to limit the number of cross-polar-route flights, distribute work evenly across high and low latitudes, and decrease altitude when flying in high latitudes. It aims to determine flight attendants’ interest in cosmic radiation safety management and the on-site measures to be implemented.

Chairperson Choi Won-ho said, “Last year was dedicated to preparing for the foundation of future operations, ensuring that the cosmic radiation safety management system functions efficiently on the ground. To guarantee that flight attendants experience enhanced safety management in practice, we will make every effort to implement the system seamlessly and prioritize a safety management culture to protect their health.”