[2026 National Assembly Audit] 7 Radiation Exposure Accidents in Five Years... Safety Violations Repeated After Accidents

Eight People Exposed; One Safety Manager Oversees 1,000 Devices... Staffing Standards to Be Reviewed
Nuclear Plant Accident Management Plans Unapproved for Over 7 Years... Input Error Found During Review

Over the past five years, seven radiation exposure accidents occurred at institutions that use radiation, exposing eight people. At some companies, safety management violations identified before an accident were found again after it.

Accident Management Plans outlining procedures for responding to severe accidents at nuclear power plants have remained unapproved more than seven years after submission. The review process also revealed that assessment input values from another nuclear power plant had been used.

A view of Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant. The Asia Business Daily DB.

At a parliamentary audit of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on October 13, Kim Namguk of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed to shortcomings in safety management at institutions that use radiation.

According to materials the commission submitted to Kim, seven radiation exposure accidents occurred at such institutions over the past five years, exposing eight people. In particular, the same safety management violations were identified before and after an accident at a radiation nondestructive testing company in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, in September 2023.

An inspection in 2022, before the accident, found that the company had failed to file a notification for opening a workplace and had not complied with measures to prevent radiation hazards. However, an inspection in 2024, after the accident, found the same violations again.

"Violations identified before the accident were repeated afterward," Kim said, questioning whether "the existing inspections and corrective measures had failed to work properly." Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Chair Choi Wonho replied, "It seems so."

Kim called for stricter criteria for intensified oversight of institutions with a history of accidents or repeated violations. Choi said, "I agree."

The workload of safety management personnel also came under scrutiny. According to commission materials, at five institutions, one radiation safety manager was responsible for at least 1,000 radiation-generating devices. However, no research or review had been conducted in the past 10 years on the appropriate number of devices to manage or the related workload.

"We need to study whether the workload of current safety management personnel is appropriate, taking into account factors such as the risks posed by the equipment and the actual workload," Kim said. Choi replied, "We will look into it." Kim asked him to report specific improvement plans to the National Assembly.

The prolonged review of nuclear power plant Accident Management Plans was also raised. Lee Hungi of the Democratic Party of Korea said that the plans for Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Unit 1, submitted by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power in June 2019, had not been approved even after seven years and four months.

Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Chair Choi Wonho answers lawmakers' questions during a parliamentary audit of the commission and other agencies at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Yoon Dongju

An Accident Management Plan sets out response procedures to mitigate the progression of a severe accident at a nuclear power plant and minimize the release of radioactive materials into the environment.

Questions were also raised about the accuracy of the assessment materials used in the review. Citing minutes from a commission meeting on September 11, Lee pointed out that some of the input values for Kori Unit 2 had been used to assess radiation doses for Kori Units 3 and 4.

"This went unchecked during seven years of review," Lee said. "It is incomprehensible that input values from another nuclear power plant were used." He added, "These input values must be corrected and a proper assessment conducted before a decision is made on whether to approve the plans."

Choi acknowledged that the error had been missed during the review and replied, "We reassessed it and corrected the error." However, he did not give a date for final approval of the Accident Management Plans.

Other lawmakers also pointed out that some of the project budget of a contractor responsible for radiation monitoring at airports and seaports had been used for holiday gifts and congratulatory and condolence expenses, and that research and development reserve funds at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control had been spent on information display boards and landscaping. Choi responded, "We bear significant responsibility for failing to provide detailed guidelines and properly oversee these expenditures. Going forward, we will manage them closely under detailed standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.