Assessment of the terrestrial gamma radiation dose in Korea

The gamma-ray dose rates in air at 233 locations in Korea have been determined. The contribution to the gamma-ray dose rates in air due to the presence of $^{232}Th-series,\;^{238}U-series\;and\;^{40}K$ is as follows: 47.3% $(36\;nGyh^{-1})\;^{232}Th-series$ 14.5% $(11\;nGyh^{-1})\;^{238}U-series$ and 38.2% $(29\;nGyh^{-1})\;^{40}K$. The mean gamma-ray dose rate theoretically derived from $^{232}Th-series,\;^{238}U-series\;and\;^{40}K\;was\;76{\pm}17\;nGyh^{-1}$. This corresponds to an annual effective dose of $410\;{\mu}Sv$ and an annual collective dose of 18900 person-Sv for all provinces under study. The results have been compared with other global radiation dose.