Year
2012
Abstract
ROK signed Member State Support Program (MSSP) in 1997. MSSP is to support the IAEA by providing extra-budgetary funding for research, development and implementation of the international safeguards. The objective is to improve and strengthen the international safeguards by transferring technology and expertise from Member States to the IAEA. ROK started its first support program in 1998 by providing open source information. At the beginning, ROK shared the expenses to install the IAEA safeguards equipment and so on. Afterwards, it co-developed the detector to efficiently implement the safeguards considering the characteristics of the Korean facilities. Since ROK joined MSSP in 1997, it has been performed 24 support programs. ROK, as a country with 5th largest nuclear industry in the world, makes every effort to extend its support to the Agency. It includes contribution in cash and expertise or others. Through the support to the Agency, we expect to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime of the world. In addition, we hope to acquire technologies to verify nuclear materials for the new facilities we develop. Now, we move forward to contribute in a more active way. We support the Agency through the experience and expertise in the field of safeguards. It includes not only technology development, but also human infrastructure development. We are hosting training courses for the IAEA and domestic inspectors and also developing the software module for the in-house training. For the continued support in the various fields, we try to extend the pool of experts who understand the safeguards concept. ROK continuously discuss with the Agency to find the areas which will be beneficial to both sides.