On September 11, 2026, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) convened in Seoul to deliberate on pressing nuclear regulatory matters, a meeting that came at a time when public scrutiny of radioactive waste management and nuclear safety is mounting across South Korea. The session, held at the commission's central conference room, tackled three agenda items, approving two and deferring a third for further review. These decisions, while technical in nature, reverberate far beyond the meeting room, touching on community anxieties, regulatory reforms, and the enduring challenge of radioactive waste storage in densely populated areas like Daejeon.
Among the approved items was a pivotal application from Orbitec, a company specializing in nuclear fuel material management. Orbitec sought permission to transfer nuclear fuel materials—primarily uranium, the essential energy source for reactors—from its Seoul office to a specialized analysis center in Ulsan. The application came bundled with eight detailed documents, including safety management protocols and radiation shielding explanations. According to the NSSC, the commission scrutinized Orbitec’s technical capabilities, the facility’s structural standards, and the potential environmental impacts of radiation emissions. After this comprehensive review, the commission deemed the application to meet all approval criteria, giving Orbitec the green light to proceed.
In a parallel move, the commission also approved amendments to the subordinate regulations of the Radiation Safety Management Act. These changes aim to standardize health examination criteria for two groups at heightened risk of radiation exposure: workers handling nuclear materials and airline crew members exposed to cosmic radiation. Under the new rules, blood test items are now unified to include hemoglobin, white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. This harmonizes the standards with recent updates to the Enforcement Rules of the Nuclear Safety Act. Furthermore, the scope of required health examination result reporting has expanded from only those with abnormalities to all crew members, a step intended to prevent omissions and ensure comprehensive oversight. The amendments also recognize health checks already conducted under the Medical Service Act or the Veterinary Service Act, reducing redundant testing. These regulatory updates will be finalized after further consultation with relevant agencies and a period of legislative notice.
Yet, not all agenda items found resolution. Approval of accident management plans and operational change permits for Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Units 1 and 2—major nuclear power plants—was deferred, pending further review. These accident management plans are critical documents, outlining strategies and equipment to contain and mitigate the impact of severe nuclear incidents. The proposals include installing multi-layered defense systems, such as external injection routes for reactor coolant systems and containment building spray systems. The plans, initially submitted in June 2019 in response to a 2015 amendment of the Nuclear Safety Act, have already undergone multiple reviews by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety and several rounds of pre-examination. The commission’s decision to resubmit the agenda underscores the complexity and gravity of ensuring nuclear safety in the country’s aging reactor fleet.
While regulatory processes grind forward in Seoul, the city of Daejeon finds itself at the center of a growing debate over radioactive waste storage. As of September 12, 2026, two nuclear facilities in Daejeon—the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and Korea Nuclear Fuel—store a staggering 29,587 drums of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, each with a 200-liter capacity. This makes Daejeon the second largest storage site for such waste in the nation, trailing only the Kori nuclear power plant, which holds 40,087 drums. According to data from the integrated radioactive waste safety management system, KAERI’s stockpile includes waste from the Hanaro research reactor and dismantling debris from an experimental reactor once located in Seoul. The sheer volume rivals that of many full-scale nuclear power plants, prompting some to dub Daejeon a “hidden waste repository.”
Safety concerns are amplified by Daejeon’s status as a bustling urban center with a population of 1.44 million. Unlike most radioactive waste storage sites, which are typically situated away from large population centers, Daejeon’s facilities sit in the heart of the city. This proximity has fueled ongoing worries about the risks of accidental leaks or fires. In fact, the city has experienced intermittent incidents involving fire and minor radioactive material leakage at local nuclear installations, further stoking public anxiety.
High-level radioactive waste, particularly spent nuclear fuel, presents an even more daunting challenge. Since April 1987, KAERI has stored 1,699 assemblies (weighing 3.32 tons) of spent fuel, brought in over 21 separate shipments from major nuclear plants such as Kori, Hanbit, and Hanul, up until August 2013. The original intent was to analyze defects and verify performance, but the spent fuel has remained in Daejeon far longer than anticipated. Efforts to return these materials to their originating nuclear power plants have stalled for years, mired in disputes over procedural details and ownership. Operators in regions like Busan argue that ownership of the spent fuel has already been transferred to KAERI, making any return impossible. As a result, there has been little progress on repatriating the waste, leaving Daejeon in limbo as a de facto interim repository.
Even the disposal of low- and intermediate-level waste faces hurdles. Since 2015, KAERI has shipped about 800 drums annually to the Gyeongju disposal facility in North Gyeongsang Province, but recent shipments have encountered delays due to mismatches between documentation and actual contents. In 2025, for instance, 32 out of 69 drums inspected were found unsuitable because their contents did not align with accompanying paperwork, leading to holdups in final disposal. The original roadmap called for all such waste to be transferred to Gyeongju by 2035, but this target now appears increasingly unattainable.
In response to these challenges, the Daejeon City Council is moving to establish a Nuclear Safety Special Committee. The initiative, spearheaded by council member Koo Bon-hwan, seeks to inspect the safety management practices at local nuclear facilities and devise countermeasures to ease public fears. "Incidents of fire and radioactive material leakage have occurred intermittently at nuclear facilities in Daejeon," Koo noted, emphasizing the need for a coordinated city-wide response. The committee aims to strengthen oversight and develop solutions that both reassure citizens and address the technical complexities of nuclear waste management.
As South Korea grapples with the twin imperatives of nuclear energy and public safety, the events of this week highlight the delicate balancing act faced by regulators, operators, and local governments alike. The technical minutiae of regulatory approvals and waste management plans may seem distant, but their consequences are felt acutely by the millions living near nuclear facilities. With oversight tightening and community voices growing louder, the path forward will demand both rigorous science and a renewed commitment to transparency and public engagement.