hankyoreh

a　lawmaker with the New Progressive Party

Environmental organizations asked for further investigation into the safety of the nuclear waste disposal site currently under construction in the Gyeongju area on Tuesday. The organizations are basing its demands for a complete stop to construction on a review of previously released reports. The completion of the facility’s construction originally set for the end of 2009, has already been delayed by some two and a half years due to problems in the site’s base rock.

Cho Seung-soo, a　lawmaker with the New Progressive Party, and members the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) and other environmental organizations, held a press conference at the National Assembly and said, “We cannot confirm the safety of the site because a site assessment (in 2005) confirms the condition of the base rock is unstable and weak.”

YangLee Won-young, the head of KFEM’s Future Planning Department said, “The government selected the site only four months after the site’s assessment had been conducted, and despite indications of several safety problems, including the instability of the base rock.”

They shared the findings of three-related site reports including, “An assessment report on the nuclear waste disposal facility site” by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., LTD in April 2005.

Cho criticized the government by saying, “The government endorsed the construction while evidence of the site’s instability was obvious.” He added, “Additional research is needed to inform the construction process.”

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy responded with a press release that says, “We conducted a fact finding investigation into the 30-month delay of the facility’s construction, however, we believe there are no problems related to the site’s safety and find the site’s assessment study to be appropriate.”

They government had conducted a four month long investigation into the proposed facility site in Gyeongju city located in South Gyeongsang Province, and the city was selected to host the construction of a facility that would be capable of storing low and intermediate level radioactive waste materials through a local referendum that took place in November 2005. The Geological Society of Korea conducted the study into causes of the construction delay at the ministry’s request in June.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]