NSSC Chairman Discusses Nuclear Safety Regulations with Heads of Regulatory Agencies from Nine Major Countries

Attendance at the 57th INRA Meeting

Choi Wonho, Chairman of the Nuclear Safety Commission, is reporting to President Lee Jae-myung at the Government Sejong Convention Center on December 17, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission announced that Chairman Choi Wonho would attend the 57th International Nuclear Regulators Association (INRA) meeting, held in Madrid, Spain, from May 11 to 13. During the event, he will discuss regulatory issues with the heads of nuclear regulatory agencies from major nuclear power countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France.

The International Nuclear Regulators Association is a consultative body comprising the heads of regulatory agencies from nine advanced nuclear nations. It holds regular meetings twice a year to share each country's safety regulatory experiences and policies, as well as to exchange views on international nuclear safety issues.

The nine member countries are Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, Sweden, and Spain. Each country serves as the chair for one year, and Korea previously held the chairmanship in 2009 and 2018.

This year's meeting will include discussions on a variety of topics, such as cooperation between national institutions and regulatory agencies, maritime applications like floating nuclear reactors, and regulatory directions in preparation for new nuclear stakeholders.

In his country status presentation, Chairman Choi plans to introduce Korea's approval of accident management plans for APR1400 nuclear power plants, the safety review of continued operation, and the roadmap for establishing a regulatory framework for small modular reactors (SMRs), and to lead related discussions.

Chairman Choi stated, "The emergence of new regulatory demands and stakeholders is presenting many challenging issues, which, in turn, is increasing the need for nuclear safety cooperation and information sharing among countries. Through collaboration with the heads of regulatory agencies from major countries, we will further advance Korea's domestic regulatory system and seek harmony with global regulatory trends."

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