International Nuclear Safety School launched

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

The International Nuclear Safety School has been launched in South Korea to promote nuclear safety learning and cooperation on a global and regional basis. The school will become the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) regional training centre in Asia.

The school, in Daejeong, is housed within the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), a government-funded technical expert organization that also acts as South Korea's nuclear regulatory authority. The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art IT-based learning facilities and will host lectures, training sessions and distance learning courses based on an organized curriculum. It will also support IAEA nuclear safety and security programs. The school is seen as a prototype for pooling and sharing nuclear safety knowledge not only in Korea, but also across Asia as a region.

A ceremony was held on 23 January to mark the opening of the International Nuclear Safety School. The ceremony was attended by Korean deputy prime minister Woo Sik Kim, KINS president Won Ky Shin and IAEA deputy director general Tomihiro Taniguchi.

At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, a nuclear safety agreement of cooperation was signed between KINS and the IAEA, establishing the new school as the IAEA's regional training centre in Asia.

Taniguchi commented: "In order for nuclear energy and technology to be sustainable and to achieve continuous improvement, knowledge-sharing and networking are essential elements, and IAEA cooperation with Member States in the region has made significant efforts to promote nuclear safety knowledge at regional, national and global levels."