"Safe Storage of Low-Level Radioactive Waste with Five-Layer Barriers"... Completion of Near-Surface Disposal Facility at Gyeongju Radioactive Waste Site

Fourteen Years After Project Launch in 2012
20 Disposal Vaults, Safe Even in Magnitude 7.0 Earthquakes
Capacity to Store 125,000 Drums of Low-Level Radioactive Waste
"Significant Step Toward Establishing Long-Term Radioactive Waste Manageme

Panoramic view of the Stage 2 disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste in Gyeongju. Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and Korea Radioactive Waste Agency announced on May 13 that they held the completion ceremony for the Stage 2 near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste at the site of the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Munmu Daewang-myeon, Gyeongju.

The near-surface disposal facility is designed to safely dispose of radioactive waste with relatively low radioactivity, classified as low-level or lower. Concrete structures are installed at shallow depths near the surface, and radioactive waste is disposed of within them. There are a total of 20 disposal vaults, and the facility features a five-layer containment system that ensures safety even in the event of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

Low-level radioactive waste refers to waste with comparatively low levels of radioactivity, such as gloves and protective clothing.

The Stage 2 near-surface disposal facility was a project with a total investment of approximately KRW 314.1 billion. Since work began in 2012, construction was completed in December last year after about 14 years. Final approval was granted by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission on March 16 of this year. The facility has a total capacity of 125,000 drums (based on 200-liter drums). Full-scale operation of the Stage 2 facility is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.

With the completion of this facility, the Gyeongju low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal site now has the capacity to separately dispose of intermediate-level and low-level waste, accommodating a total of 225,000 drums. This is made possible by combining the Stage 1 underground disposal facility, which has been in operation since 2015 and can handle 100,000 drums of intermediate-level or lower waste, with the new Stage 2 near-surface disposal facility.

The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency stated, "With this completion, we have become the first in the world to operate a complex disposal facility on a single site, combining the existing Stage 1 underground disposal facility and the new Stage 2 near-surface disposal facility." The agency added, "This milestone not only enables the stable disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste currently stored temporarily at nuclear power plant sites, but also establishes a national foundation for long-term management of radioactive waste generated from future decommissioning of nuclear power plants."

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment explained that with the completion of the Stage 2 disposal facility, a disposal capacity of 225,000 drums has been secured, out of the total planned capacity of 385,000 drums (Stages 1 to 3) set forth in the recently finalized "3rd Basic Plan for the Management of Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste."

When the Stage 3 disposal facility, scheduled for completion in 2031, is finished, Korea will also have a facility for very low-level radioactive waste. The Stage 3 facility is expected to have a disposal capacity of approximately 160,000 drums.

Meanwhile, about 500 people attended the completion ceremony, including representatives from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the High-level Radioactive Waste Management Commission, North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju City, related institutions, and local representatives.

The ceremony included a report on the progress of the Stage 2 construction project, commendations for meritorious contributors, inspections of the disposal vaults and underground inspection passages by key guests, and the unveiling of a commemorative stone. Additionally, officials from overseas organizations in South Africa, the UAE, Taiwan, and Vietnam attended to share Korea's expertise in radioactive waste disposal facility construction and operation, and to discuss international cooperation.

Cho Seongdon, President of Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, stated, "The completion of the Stage 2 near-surface disposal facility is a significant milestone in the history of radioactive waste management in Korea,"

adding, "We will do our utmost to establish a waste management system that the public can trust, including the development of the subsequent Stage 3 landfill-type disposal facility and the foundation for managing high-level radioactive waste."

Lee Wonjoo, Policy Chief for Energy Transition at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, commented, "The safe management of radioactive waste is one of our responsibilities to both current and future generations," and added, "Based on the safe operation of the Stage 2 disposal facility, constructed with our own technology, we will do our best to ensure the public can feel secure about radioactive waste management."

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