[en] Spent fuel management is an important issue for nuclear power programs, requiring careful planning and implementation. With the wait-and-see policy on spent fuel management in Korea, research efforts at KAERI are directed to developing advanced technologies for the safer and more efficient management of the accumulating spent fuels. In support of these research perspectives, a test facility on a pilot scale is being developed with provisions for integral demonstration of the multitude of technical functions required for advanced spent fuel management. The facility, named SMATER, is to be capable of handling full size assemblies of spent PWR fuel (as well as CANDU fuel) with a maximum capacity of 20 MTU/year (about 48 assemblies of PWR type). Major functions of the facility are consolidation of spent PWR fuel assembly into a half volume package and optionally, the transformation of the fuel rod into a fuel of CANDU-type (called DUPIC). Objectives of these functions are to demonstrate volume reduction of spent fuel (for either longer term dry storage or direct disposal) in the former case and direct refabrication of the spent PWR fuel into DUPIC fuel for reuse in CANDU reactors in the latter case. In addition to these major functions, there are other associated technologies to be demonstrated: such as waste treatment, remote maintenance, safeguards, etc. As the facility is to demonstrate not only the functional processes but also the safety and efficiency of the test operations, engineering criteria equivalent to industrial standards are incorporated in the design concept. The hot cell structure enclosing the radioactive material is configured in such a way as to maximize space utilization and ergonometrics, and to minimize costs within the given functional and operational requirements. (author)