The Ministry of Science and ICT held a global symposium on the program for building a cooperation platform and supporting joint research among top-tier research institutions at the Westin Chosun in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd. The top-tier project is an international cooperation foundation project with four research topics currently in progress. This symposium was organized to share the contents of the research topics and discuss ways to establish long-term cooperative relationships. Minister Yoon Sang-im said, "We will support domestic and international research institutions to maintain exchanges and cooperation in the long term."
The Nuclear Safety And Security Commission announced that Chairperson Choi Won-ho inspected the construction site safety and operational preparedness status by visiting the low and intermediate level radioactive waste surface disposal facility in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 22nd. The surface disposal facility, which is designed for a scale of 125,000 drums of low-level radioactive waste, is the second waste disposal facility to be constructed following the cave disposal facility built in 2014. It received construction and operation permits from the commission in July 2022, and the current progress rate is 99.34%. It is set to undergo a comprehensive inspection ahead of the operational launch in the second half of this year and is expected to be fully operational in the first half of next year.
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) signed a memorandum of understanding at the KRISS headquarters in Daejeon on the 22nd for the "standardization of the hydrogen industry and the establishment of a safe hydrogen economy ecosystem." The two institutions agreed to establish standards for fair hydrogen commerce by utilizing their respective expertise and to build a safety management system to widely disseminate these standards in the hydrogen field. KRISS President Lee Ho-sung said, "This agreement will establish a trustworthy hydrogen commerce order for the public and serve as an opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of the domestic hydrogen economy."
The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) held its 18th founding anniversary ceremony at its main auditorium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on the 21st. During the event, awards were presented to individuals and organizations that demonstrated outstanding research activities and work abilities, including the Chairman's Award from the National Research Council of Science and Technology and the President's Award from KIMS. KIMS President Choi Cheol-jin stated, "Without independent technology, national survival becomes difficult. Especially in times like these, KIMS should play a role as a hub and leader in materials research and development to strengthen national competitiveness."