South Korea Accelerates Safety Reviews of Long-Term Operating Nuclear Reactors and Advances Licensing of First Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea stated at its second-half work report meeting on August 4 that it will accelerate safety reviews of long-term operating nuclear reactors while simultaneously advancing regulatory efforts such as licensing systems for spent fuel dry storage facilities and small modular reactors.

Under the plan, the NSSC will conduct safety inspections on nine reactors applying for continued operation, with review standards referencing newly built nuclear power plants and confirming safety margins in consideration of the characteristics of long-term unit operation. Among these, whether Kori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 will be approved for continued operation in the second half of this year, and whether Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 will be approved for continued operation in the first half of next year, are the near-term review priorities.

To improve review efficiency, the NSSC will establish a regulatory issue review task force and streamline certain procedures through mechanisms such as pre-review by expert committee members, with the aim of expediting the resolution of pending technical issues. The agency also plans to establish licensing systems for future advanced reactor types ahead of schedule, develop a draft technical standard for small modular reactors (SMRs) by next year, and restructure the relevant legal framework by 2030 to cover reactors of different types and purposes.

The review of South Korea's first spent fuel dry storage facility for light-water reactors will also proceed in parallel. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) completed the relevant application for the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant in April 2026 and plans to submit licensing applications for the Kori and Hanul Nuclear Power Plants by the end of this year. Data from South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and other sources show that the spent fuel storage rate at the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant stands at 85.3%, with saturation expected by 2030.

Under the current schedule, the review target for the spent fuel dry storage facility at the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant is to be submitted to the NSSC for deliberation in the first half of 2028, while the corresponding facilities at Kori and Hanul are planned for submission in the first half of 2029.

Regarding new nuclear construction projects, Saeul Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 is expected to begin commercial operation in October this year, and the operating license application for Unit 4 is planned to be submitted to the NSSC by the end of this year. The NSSC will also prepare for the screening of candidate sites for a new nuclear power plant in the Yeongdeok area of North Gyeongsang Province through advance review of technical standards.

Starting next year, South Korea's nuclear power plant inspection system will shift to a year-round inspection model, no longer scheduling inspections solely based on unit operating status. In response to the increasing use of radiation applications in industries such as semiconductors and medical devices, regulatory authorities will also promote the strengthening of radiation safety culture at relevant industrial sites through a combination of on-site consultations and special inspections.

The NSSC is also pushing for amendments to the Nuclear Safety Act, proposing to hold individuals accountable for deliberately concealing accidents in the nuclear energy and radiation sectors. The current law primarily assigns reporting obligations to business operators, making it difficult to directly penalize employees involved in concealment incidents.

Previously, Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 experienced a station blackout in 2012 due to an operational error, and the incident was concealed for nearly a month. The court subsequently ruled that the reporting obligation under the Nuclear Safety Act rests with the operator, and the employees involved were acquitted. In 2024, during an electrical facility inspection at Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 4, a brief voltage drop occurred in the power supply safety bus, and the incident was concealed for nearly 15 days; however, due to the influence of the existing precedent, the employees involved were ultimately not prosecuted.

NSSC Chairman Choi Won-ho stated that energy policies such as nuclear power plant construction, continued operation, and SMR introduction can only be advanced on the premise of establishing a safety foundation that the public can trust. Regulatory authorities will thoroughly verify the safety of nuclear facilities and transparently disclose the verification process and results to the public.