Seeking Safe Disposal Methods for 'High-Level Radioactive Waste'... International Conference Held in Busan

Ministry of Industry and Energy Holds the 7th International Meeting on Geological Disposal Facilities with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

The government is set to explore disposal plans for high-level radioactive waste (spent nuclear fuel) in collaboration with the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 28th that it will jointly host the "7th International Meeting on Geological Repositories" with the OECD NEA at the Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center from the 27th to the 31st.

The international meeting serves as a platform for NEA member countries to share progress and experiences in the geological disposal projects of high-level radioactive waste, and to discuss issues and challenges at each stage of project implementation. It is held every 4 to 5 years.

At the 7th meeting, various thematic discussions will take place, including ▲ experiences and lessons learned from deep geological repository development ▲ establishment of deep geological disposal infrastructure ▲ approaches to site selection for deep geological disposal ▲ common issues and sociological considerations ▲ utilization of research and development (R&D) facilities and promotion of international cooperation. Additionally, there will be a tour of the Gyeongju low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility. This time, over 350 stakeholders from domestic related institutions and organizations such as the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, and the Korean Radioactive Waste Society, as well as central government ministries and dedicated agencies related to radioactive waste from countries including the U.S. Department of Energy, the Czech Ministry of Trade, and Switzerland’s nuclear waste management organization NAGRA, will participate for in-depth discussions on radioactive waste disposal.

Kim Jin, Director of Nuclear Strategy Planning at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said in his welcoming remarks, "While strengthening cooperation among NEA member countries and enhancing spent nuclear fuel management capabilities, we will also steadily advance the enactment of the High-Level Radioactive Waste Special Act and secure research underground research facilities."

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