This is the 24th in a series of articles that highlight the challenges and opportunities facing Korea’s nuclear power industry. – Ed(Korea Herald).

The government intervenes in the activities of the nuclear industry to secure safety in the operation of nuclear facilities. It places top priority on protecting the public and the environment from radiation hazards that might accompany the development and utilization of nuclear energy. Since safety should come before anything else, the government seeks to cultivate nuclear safety culture and ensure that an acceptable level of safety is maintained.

Since the commencement of the first nuclear power plant in Korea in 1978, Korea has maintained a high level of safety. This has been the important foundation on which the continuous construction of nuclear power plants has been possible in this country. In other countries, serious nuclear accidents, such as Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, have had a substantial impact on nuclear power programs.

Though the primary responsibility of nuclear safety rests with the licensees who operate nuclear installations, the regulatory authorities play a very important role in achieving the socially acceptable level of safety. The Korean regulatory authorities have successfully supervised the licensees to maintain a high safety performance.