As the global race to build energy-hungry AI data centers accelerates, nuclear power is reemerging as one of the few scalable, carbon-free baseload energy solutions — and with it, an unprecedented surge in demand for strict regulatory oversight.

In South Korea, that responsibility falls squarely on the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, a 13-year-old state regulator that now sits at the center of nearly every major decision shaping the country’s nuclear future. From licensing next-generation reactors to reviewing the lifespan of aging nuclear units, the NSSC is increasingly the gatekeeper of Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

“Nuclear power cannot operate without absolute safety,” NSSC Chair Choi Won-ho said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. “Our role is to ensure that every plant, from design to construction to decades of operation, meets principles that cannot be compromised.”

One of the commission’s most critical tasks, Choi said, is conducting rigorous safety reviews across the entire life cycle of a nuclear plant. This includes assessing new reactor designs, determining whether older units can operate beyond their original lifespans, and conducting safety evaluations for Korean reactors built overseas.

“Every new design and every operation request eventually comes to us,” Choi said. “The industry may want speed and the public demands safety, and we sit between them. But our principles are non-negotiable.”

The regulator is now preparing for an influx of new technologies. Korea is advancing its own innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR) and exploring emerging designs such as molten salt reactors, which require updated licensing frameworks and new scientific safety criteria.

As Korea expands its presence as a global nuclear exporter — first with the APR-1400 reactors in the United Arab Emirates and now the APR-1000 units chosen for the Czech Republic’s $18 billion nuclear power expansion — the NSSC is increasingly exporting safety know-how as well.

“Many importing countries lack hands-on experience with nuclear projects, and we know the reactors we export very well,” Choi said. “That’s why we assist them in assessing safety standards and understanding approval procedures — a form of regulatory cooperation we offer at no cost.”

In the Czech project, the local nuclear regulator will ultimately issue the design certification and decide on plant operation. Even so, Choi said the NSSC is conducting a full safety evaluation of the APR-1000 on its own and will share the results to support Prague’s review.

Korea’s regulator also plays an active role in global nuclear governance through the International Nuclear Regulators’ Association, where nine leading countries — including the US, France and the UK — meet twice a year to coordinate on issues ranging from regulatory efficiency to the future oversight of fusion energy.

Given Northeast Asia’s geographic proximity and shared exposure to cross-border nuclear risks, Korea also maintains a trilateral communication channel with Japan and China to share safety information and observe one another’s emergency response drills.

“Regulation only works when countries cooperate,” Choi said. “Sharing experience is crucial for global nuclear safety.”

Domestically, the NSSC faces mounting pressure as Korea’s electricity demand climbs and nuclear operators seek to extend the operation of aging reactors.

The state agency recently approved the continued operation of the Kori Unit 2 reactor, for which permission was initially requested in 2022.

“We don’t decide whether a reactor should keep operating,” Choi said. “Our role is to determine whether safety can be guaranteed based on technical findings. But I realized that persuading and informing the public is a huge part of our work.”

Two more units — Kori Units 3 and 4 — applied for extensions in the same year, with decisions expected in 2025. Seven additional reactors are awaiting review.

Beyond plant-level oversight, the NSSC’s responsibilities span a wide spectrum: monitoring Japan’s discharges of treated water from Fukushima, managing radiation exposure levels for airline crew, and inspecting imported goods containing nuclear materials.

“We are already seeing growth in reactor exports and applications for continued operation,” Choi said. “And with AI driving electricity demand even higher, I expect demand for safety regulation to increase sharply in the near future.”

He stressed that despite its mounting workload, the regulator must maintain its independence and strict adherence to scientific standards.

“As an independent state regulator, we will continue to ensure that every decision is made strictly according to the procedures and standards set by law, grounded in scientific and technical evidence.”

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