On the Research and Development for High Level Radioactive Waste Disposal in Korea

고준위 방사성폐기물 처분 기술개발 현황

The amount of the high level radioactive wastes in Korea will be increased up to 14,297 MTU about 2010 year. Most of countries adopt the concept of deep burial repository in high level radioactive waste disposal. Because the high level radioactive wastes are very toxic in biosphere and to human, the data verifing its never return to the biosphere are requisite for the disposal. Presently, the evaluating techniques for the high level radioactive waste disposal are not fully developed. Therefore, in order to dispose the high level radioactive wastes in proper time the R & D of it is urged in our country. The R & D and/or the international joint research programme for the disposal of high level wastes have already been proceeded. In our country no plan for its disposal has been prepared. It is the time that the direction of the R & D is to be discused seriously. The R & D for the disposal of high level radioactive wastes in Korea is believed to be focused on developing the pecular techniques such as in situ characteristics of groundwater flowage, and change of properties of in situ rock mass at thermal effects.