Reactor Room Saved from Demolition Designated as Provisional Cultural Heritage

Korea's First Research Reactor Facility Designed by Kim Jungup

Protected for Six Months... Plans for Preservation and Utilization to Be Developed

The auxiliary facilities of Korea's first research reactor, which had faced the threat of demolition, will now be managed as provisional state-registered cultural heritage.

Panoramic view of the Research Reactor Unit 1 reactor room and auxiliary buildings.

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on July 1 that it has designated the "Research Reactor Unit 1 Reactor Room and Auxiliary Building" in Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul as provisional state-registered cultural heritage and has notified the owner, Korea Electric Power Corporation, and the demolition executor, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. As a result, any activities that would alter the current state, including demolition, will be restricted for six months.

This is an emergency measure taken by the Cultural Heritage Administration to prevent the destruction of the reactor room and auxiliary building surrounding the "TRIGA Mark-II Research Reactor," which was registered as state-registered cultural heritage in 2013 and had been threatened with demolition. The registered area includes the reactor room, electricity and cooling water supply facilities, neutron beamline, laboratory, instrumentation room, and control room. The buildings were designed by architect Kim Jungup, a leading figure in Korean architecture in the latter half of the 20th century, and are also recognized for their architectural significance.

Provisional state-registered cultural heritage is an emergency protection measure implemented by the Cultural Heritage Administration when there are concerns about the destruction of value before formal registration or when there is no time for committee review. The "Research Reactor Unit 1 Reactor Room and Auxiliary Building" is the first case recorded since the enforcement of the "Act on the Preservation and Utilization of Modern and Contemporary Cultural Heritage" in September last year.

The TRIGA Mark-II reactor, which began operating in 1962, was used for basic and applied research in diverse fields such as nuclear engineering, physics, chemistry, and nuclear medicine. After operations ended in 1995, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute sold the site to Korea Electric Power Corporation. In 2007, the two organizations agreed to preserve the reactor core but demolish the reactor room and auxiliary buildings. Currently, after decontamination work, part of the auxiliary buildings has already been demolished.

According to the "Act on the Preservation and Utilization of Modern and Contemporary Cultural Heritage," the owner may apply for formal registration within six months from the date of notification of provisional state-registered cultural heritage status. If no application is submitted within this period, the provisional registration is automatically canceled. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to consult with Korea Electric Power Corporation, related agencies, and academia to establish plans for preservation and utilization.

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