• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2017

A deep geological disposal at a depth of 500 m in stable host rock is considered to be the safest method with current technologies for disposal of spent fuels classified as high-level radioactive waste. The most important requirement is that the temperature of the bentonite buffer, which is a component of the engineered barrier, should not exceed $100^{\circ}C$. In Korea, the amount of spent fuel generated by nuclear power generation, which accounts for about 30% of the total electricity, is continuously increasing and accumulating. Accordingly, the area required to dispose of it is also increasing. In this study, various duplex disposal concepts were derived for the purpose of improving the disposal efficiency by reducing the disposal area. Based on these concepts, thermal analyses were carried out to confirm whether the critical disposal system requirements were met, and the thermal stability of the disposal system was evaluated by analyzing the results. The results showed that upward 75 m or downward 75 m apart from the reference disposal system location of 500 m depth would qualify for the double layered disposal concept. The results of this study can be applied to the establishment of spent fuel management policy and the design of practical commercial disposal system. Detailed analyses with data of a real disposal site are necessary.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2012

Marking the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident, which took place on March 11th, 2011, the level of adolescent awareness and understanding of radiation was surveyed, and the results were then compared with those for adults with the same questionnaires conducted at similar times. A qualitative survey and frequency analysis were made for the design of the study methodology. Those surveyed were limited to 3rd grade middle school students, 15 years of age, who are the future generation. The questionnaire, which is a survey tool, was directly distributed to the students and 2,217 answers were analysed. The questionnaires were composed of 40 questions, and it was found that Cronbach's coefficient was high with 'self awareness of radiation' at 0.494, 'risk of radiation' at 0.843, 'benefit of radiation' at 0.748, 'radiological safety control' at 0.692, 'information sources of radiation' at 0.819, and 'impacts of Fukushima accident'. The results of the survey analysis showed that the students' knowledge of radiation was not very high with 67.4 points (69.5 points for adults) calculated on a maximum scale of 100 points (converted points). The impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident were found to be less significant to adolescents than adults, and the rate of answer of "so" or " very so" in the following questions demonstrates this well. It was also shown that the impacts of the Fukushima accident to adolescents were comparatively low with 27.0% (38.9% for adults) on the question of "attitude changed against nuclear power due to the Fukushima accident," 65.7%(86.6% for adults) on the question of "the damages from the Fukushima accident was immeasurably huge," and 65.0% (86.3% for adults) on "the Fukushima accident contributed to raising awareness on the safety of nuclear power plants". The adolescents had a high rate of "average" answers on most of the questions compared with adults, and it can be construed that this resulted from adolescent awareness of radiation not being firmly rooted on themselves. This study was the first of its kind for surveying adolescents regarding the level of awareness of radiation after the Fukushima accident, and the results were compared with the survey results of adults, and they are expected to greatly contribute toward establishing a radiation policy by the government in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.205-236
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• 2010

This article deals with international space law for the environmental protection in outer space especially for space debris arising from space activities. After studying 1967 Outer Space Treaty, 1968 Rescue Agreement, 1972 Liability Convention, 1975 Registration Convention and 1979 Moon Agreement, we could find few provisions dealing with space environment in those treaties. During the earlier stages of the space age, which began in the late 1950s, the focus of international law makers was the establishment of the basic rules of space law governing the states' activities in outer space. Consequently the environmental issues and the risks that might arise from the generation of the space debris did not receive priority attention within the context of the development international space law. Although the phrases such as 'harmful contamination', 'harmful interference', 'disruption of the environment', 'adverse changes in the environment' and 'harmfully affecting' in relation to space environment were used in 1967 Outer Space Treaty and 1979 Moon Agreement, their true meaning was not definitely settled. Although 1972 Liability Convention deals with compensation, whether the space object covers space debris is unclear despite the case of Cosmos 954. In this respect international lawyers suggest the amendment of the space treaties and new space treaty covering the space environmental problems including the space debris. The resolutions, guidelines and draft convention are also studied to deal with space environment and space debris. In 1992 the General Assembly of the United Nations passed resolution 47/68 titled "Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space" for the NPS use in outer space. The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee; IADC) issued some guidelines for the space debris which were the basis of "the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines" approved by COPUOS in its 527th meeting. In 1994 the 66th conference of ILA adopted "International Instrument on the Protection of the Environment from Damage Caused by Space Debris". Although those resolutions, guidelines and draft convention are not binding states, there are some provisions which have a fundamentally norm-creating character and softs laws.