KINS Committed to
Enhancing Nuclear Safety

Striving to gain public confidence by disclosing nuclear safety information

Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) has been committed to enhancing safety for all nuclear power and radiation-related institutes and facilities operating in Korea and their employees.
KINS was established as an independent regulatory expert organization in 1990 to support the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the regulatory authority of the Korean government, in licensing and regulation of nuclear facilities and related activities.
Under the government's long-term power supply plan, the number of nuclear units in operation will rise to 26 by the year 2015, and isotope uses and radiation institutions are also on the surge.
In the use of nuclear energy, however, the assurance of safety should be a matter of highest priority.
KINS's mission is to develop and implement nuclear safety regulations with the aim to protect public, health, safety and the environment form radiation hazards that might be accompanied with the production and use of nuclear energy.
One of the areas that badly need to ensure nuclear safety is the design, construction and operation of nuclear facilities. All the process should be under thorough surveillance and examination.
Laws and regulations, and institutional systems have to be appropriately in place, and a body designed to perform such functions of ensuring safety is also necessary on top of technical capabilities of ensuring safety and keeping surveillance.
KINS carries out the regulatory duties objectively with fairness, keeping itself independent from any stakeholder in the nuclear energy field.
The regulatory export organization provides the public with the regulatory as well as licensing information, except those classified as property, faithfully to build public safety regulation. KINS sets up and operates nuclear safety information kiosks that offer information on nuclear energy to neighborhood residents. around the nuclear units. The Nuclear Safety Information Center was established at KINS in November 2002, and the cyber system on nuclear safety information was inaugurated in June 2003.
KINS applies well established, global safety standards in its regulatory reviews and inspections, and continuously improve its technical capabilities. And its decision should be made clear and not be unduly delayed.
KINS purses effectiveness and efficiency in regulation, while endeavoring to promote nuclear safety culture in the nuclear industry and among the individuals to place the foremost priority on safety.
The organization also recognizes that nuclear safety is a matter of international concern so as to promote a close cooperation with international bodies and regulatory organizations in other countries. For an instance, KINS offers regulatory technology support to developing nuclear power counties like Vietnam, Czech and Indonesia.
Institutes subject to safety regulations include those producing and using nuclear energy and radiation in Korea like nuclear power plants, nuclear facilities, reactors for research and education purposes, bodies using radioactive materials, manufacturers of key components of nuclear plants and so on.
Key business areas cover examinations and approval of nuclear facilities, development of safety regulation, development of regulatory technology, management of nuclear license examinations and control of relevant information.
With regard to construction of reactors, the institute has been in charge of strictly examining in the process of site selection, design, production, construction and operation.
Concerning the management of facilities using radioactive materials and radiation, KINS safety regulations consist of examination of safety before usage, and checks in the process of packaging and transportation.
Regarding long-term vision, KINS has declared its catchphrase "First KINS"with the goal of becoming a world-class nuclear safety organization by improving technical capabilities through continuous innovation. nw

KINS President Shin Won-ky explains ways of ensuring nuclear safety to DPM-Minister of Science and Technology Kim Woo-sik during Nuclear R&D Festival 2006.