The Nuclear Safety And Security Commission (NSSC) said on the 26th it has begun safety and security inspections at the nearby Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant to prepare for nuclear plant terror threats ahead of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju.
In this inspection, the NSSC focused on checking the physical protection system to guard against the possibility of sudden threats to nuclear plants during the APEC period. "Physical protection" refers to measures that preemptively block threats to nuclear material and nuclear facilities and, if a threat occurs, quickly detect and respond to minimize damage.
Under current law, the NSSC reassesses threat levels every three years, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) secures and operates protection equipment and personnel accordingly. Each year, physical protection drills are conducted at each nuclear plant site—one full drill and two partial drills. The NSSC evaluates these drills to identify vulnerabilities and prepare remedies.
On site that day, Chairperson Choi Won-ho received a report from KHNP on response plans for various threat scenarios, including ground intrusions by hostile actors, illegal drone appearances, and approaches by unidentified vessels. Plans for strengthened protection measures during the APEC period were also reviewed.
The team also inspected perimeter guard posts along the outer fence of the nuclear plant, coastal surveillance equipment, and air defense equipment to confirm that the joint military-police response system functions properly in the event of a threat.
Choi said, "Terror targeting nuclear plants can immediately lead to a serious radiation accident," and added, "Please maintain an airtight protection posture through close cooperation among KHNP and related agencies, including the military and police."