Korea-IAEA enhanced cooperation on safeguards implementation at LWRs : results of 2002

According to Korean Atomic Energy Act, national inspection is being performed independently at the same time as the IAEA inspection. As national inspection system settled down, both Korea and the IAEA were looking for possible ways of cooperation for more efficient and effective safeguards implementation. As a first step, enhanced cooperation on LWRs, based on remote monitoring technology and state's system utilization, was introduced and an MOD for implementation was signed between Korea and IAEA on October 17, 2001. From January 2002, this new scheme is being implemented at all LWRs in Korea. This new scheme is considered as a new type of NPA (New Partnership Approach) being applied to a single state. A basic element of this approach is the sharing of inspection activities between the Korea and IAEA while both parties maintain independent conclusion capabilities. In 2002, 104 times of inspections were performed for 16 LWRs. Among those, IAEA inspector should participate the FFVs, PIVs, post- PIVs and follow-up inspections, which was 53 times in 2002. Other 51 times of inspections were subjected to random selection (unannounced inspection) by the IAEA. IAEA inspectors participated 20 times only. National inspectors carried out inspections by themselves for other 31 times, then sent inspection reports to the IAEA. It is expected that the IAEA's on-site inspection would be more reduced in 2003 as gaining the experience of implementing LWR enhanced cooperation scheme