Nuclear Research Institute Achieves Top Safety Management Grade for 4 Consecutive Years

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on the 9th that it received the highest grade (Grade 2) for four consecutive years in the ‘2023 Public Institution Safety Management Grading System Review’ hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Joo Han-kyu, Director of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (fourth from the right), is taking a commemorative photo with officials after completing the institute's own fire suppression training. Photo by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is the only other public institution to have received the highest grade for four consecutive years in the Safety Management Grading System. Among all public institutions, only six met the same criteria. Since no institution has received Grade 1 (ideal level) since the system was introduced in June 2020, Grade 2 is effectively the highest grade.

The Safety Management Grading System is a system that annually evaluates the safety management capabilities of public institutions possessing four major risk factors: workplaces, construction sites, facilities, and research facilities, and assigns grades on a five-level scale.

Until 2022, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute was classified under Review Type I, which only evaluated research facilities. However, as the number of construction sites at the institute increased recently, it was changed to Review Type II starting last year. This means that safety management was evaluated not only for research facilities but also for construction sites.

A total of nine institutions were evaluated under Review Type II, which includes construction sites, and among them, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute was the only public institution to receive the highest grade (Grade 2).

Joo Han-gyu, President of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, said, “The essential condition for nuclear technology and the research institute to gain trust and support is the safety of workers and the reassurance of the public,” adding, “We will continue to make efforts to strengthen the institute’s safety management.”