'Aerospace Radiation Exposure Risk' Airline Crew, Radiation Measurement Initiated

NSSC Holds Meeting with Air Transport Operators

On the 6th, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission held a meeting with 11 domestic air transportation operators at the Korea Aviation Association's main conference room in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, to discuss strengthening the safety management of cosmic radiation for flight attendants.

The event was attended by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation, Korea Aviation Association, as well as air transportation operators including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Seoul, Aero K, Air Busan, Air Incheon, Air Premia, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, Jin Air, and T'way Air.

The safety management duties for cosmic radiation exposure of flight attendants, which were previously split between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, have been unified under the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission since January 2021. Additionally, under the Act on Safety Control of Radiation around Living Environments (Living Radiation Safety Act), which came into effect on June 11, 2023, air transportation operators must investigate and analyze cosmic radiation exposure doses for 20,000 flight attendants and conduct health examinations. They must also provide safety education conducted by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and manage safety accordingly. The Commission has been monitoring the implementation status of cosmic radiation safety management through regular inspections of air transportation operators.

At the meeting, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission shared achievements to date, including improving awareness of the cosmic radiation safety management system for flight attendants and establishing a measurement equipment-based foundation. They also announced plans to systematically manage flight attendants' lifecycle protection information and to actively measure cosmic radiation using measurement equipment.

Air transportation operators conveyed difficulties and suggestions encountered during the implementation of cosmic radiation safety management.

Yoo Guk-hee, Chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, stated, "We have made efforts over more than a year to conduct on-site inspections and raise awareness to ensure that the cosmic radiation safety management system for flight attendants is properly implemented in the field. Nevertheless, as there are concerns about the safety management of cosmic radiation for flight attendants, we will continuously review and improve the system."

Meanwhile, in November last year, the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service recognized for the first time an industrial accident caused by cosmic radiation exposure for Song Mo, who worked as a cabin crew member at Korean Air and died of stomach cancer.