Location: Kongnung-dong, Nowon-ku, Seoul, South Korea (the former location of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)

Address: P.O. Box 105, Tokchin-dong, Yusong-ku, Taejon, 305-353, South Korea (the current address of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  
Telephone Number: +82-42-868-2000/2001

Subordinate to: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology

Size:  2MW(th)

Primary Function: Training, neutron beam research, radioisotope production, and neutron activation analysis.

Description:  The TRIGA-Mark III reactor in Seoul was South Korea’s second research reactor and it was purchased from General Atomics and General Dynamics. The total reactor cost was $270,000, of which $160,000 was financed through a loan. Construction for the reactor began in April 1969 and was completed on 10 May 1972. TRIGA-Mark III reached criticality on 10 April 1972. General Atomics provided the 70 percent enriched uranium fuel for the reactor, and the reactor was operational for approximately 55,000 hours per year.

In January 1995, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced its decision to shut down the TRIGA-Mark II and III reactors. In addition, KAERI announced plans to completely dismantle TRIGA III while preserving TRIGA II as part of a memorial display. On 30 December 1995, TRIGA-Mark II was shut down, and in 1997 the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute began a four-stage project for decommissioning. The first stage, which involved decontamination and dismantling of the auxiliary facilities of TRIGA III, was completed in late 2002. By the end of 2003, the second stage of dismantling of the reactor facilities of TRIGA III was almost complete. KAERI expects to complete the last two stages of dismantling TRIGA III and related facilities and dismantling yard facilities around the reactors buildings and site cleanup by 2008. In addition, all radioactive waste will be transported to the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company’s planned waste facility.  

Key sources:  South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology, Wonjaryok Anjyonbaekso (Seoul: Ministry of Science and Technology, 2002); Korean Electric Power Corporation, “Chollyoksaop 100 Nyonsa,” 27 April 2001, <http://www.kepco.co.kr/kepco_plaza/f/f2/html/
f2_01_01_04_03.html>; Ha Yong Son, Hanbandoui Haengmugiwa Segyejilso (Seoul: Nanam, 1991); “Wonjaro 2 Ki T’oeyok/‘TRIGA Mark II’ Pojon ‘Mark III’ Haech’e’k’iro,” Donga Ilbo, 10 January 1995, p. 17, in KINDS, <http://www.kinds.co.kr>; International Atomic Energy Agency Research Reactor Database (RRDB), “Research Reactor Details - AGN 201 SUWON,” <http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/rrdb/>; So Du Hwan, “Yon’guro 1 Ho Ch’udomun: Memorial Writing to Korea’s First Reactor TRIGA Mark II,” High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO), September 1997, <http://hanaro.kaeri.re.kr/hanews9/news9-6.htm>; Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, Nuclear Energy Agency, “Decommissioning in Korea,” <http://www.nea.fr/html/rwm/wpdd/korea.pdf>.

	Updated October 2004