Reason for the Proposal and Main Contents

Recently, a worker was exposed to radiation at a nuclear-related business site and subsequently transported to a hospital that was unable to treat cases of exposure to radiation, thus demonstrating an inadequate initial response on the part of the business operator.

In order to protect workers from radiation hazards that can have a fatal impact on their health, it is necessary to provide proper safety guidelines and adequate safety measures, including prompt transportation to hospitals with the capacity to treat victims of radiation exposure.

Therefore, the proposed revision is designed to require nuclear business operators to transport victims of radiation exposure or workers who have seemingly been exposed to radiation to a National Radiation Emergency Medical Center or a Radiological Emergency Medical Institutions under Article 39 (2) of the Act on Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency and to have such incidents reported to the Nuclear Safety Commission, which will develop and disseminate safety guidelines (Article 91 of the draft).