Thirty years to a repository: how Korea sited, fought over and finally built Gyeongju

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0900

On May 13, 2026, officials in white hard hats cut a ribbon at a coastal site in Gyeongju, marking the finish of a second disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste. It was a quiet event for a project that began in 1986. Getting from the first attempt to a working repository took Korea 30 years of failed sitings, one violent standoff, a nationwide referendum and a very large incentive package.

KORAD on EnergyNote

Thirty years to a repository: how Korea sited, fought over and finally built Gyeongju