Nuclear Research Institute Stored Waste, 'From Daejeon to Gyeongju' Transport Resumes

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is explaining the transportation process of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste to the Special Committee on Nuclear Energy. Provided by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The medium- and low-level radioactive waste stored by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute will resume being transported to Gyeongju.

Daejeon City announced on the morning of the 29th that 240 drums of medium- and low-level radioactive waste were transported from the Atomic Energy Research Institute (located in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon) to the disposal site in Gyeongju.

The transported waste was moved over six hours during the early morning hours when vehicle traffic is low. This transportation of waste was the first in three years since 2017.

The city and the Atomic Energy Research Institute plan to create conditions to expand and accelerate the volume of medium- and low-level radioactive waste shipments and to introduce an advanced disposal system to enable volume reduction.

Heo Tae-jung, mayor of Daejeon, said, “Starting next year, in addition to the safe management of radioactive waste, we will establish and operate the Nuclear Safety Citizen Participation Committee to provide citizens with information related to radiation in their daily environment and create conditions for mutual communication.”

Meanwhile, the Daejeon City Council’s Special Committee on Nuclear Safety observed the pre-transport transport inspection conducted by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety the day before to confirm the safety of the radioactive waste.

They also listened to the current status of waste storage and next year’s transport plans and urged for “advanced management measures for the stored radioactive waste.”

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