Building Public Confidence in Nuclear Safety

Session: Grand Ballroom 1
Date/Time: February 19, 2013 / 12:30-13:45

Moderator: Dae Chung, US Department of Energy

Speakers:

Ahn Joonhong, University of California, Berkeley
Kim Myungja, Korea Federation of Women`s Science and Technology Association
Lee Un Chul, Seoul National University
Suzuki Tatsujiro, Japan Atomic Energy Commission

Rapporteur: Robert Kim, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Press Release Brief

1. Restoring public trust in nuclear power is critical for the future of the nuclear industry, and ensuring proper safety culture is crucial for ensuring public confidence and preventing accidents.

2. Stakeholder involvement should not be viewed as a public relations tool – rather, it should be an integral part of a holistic decision-making process.

3. There is a dilemma for public communication between quickness and accuracy because analysis sometimes cannot be done quickly and be accurate at the same time.

4. The public is not well educated on nuclear power and its need in South Korea, and the nuclear industry is often disconnected from the concerns of the public.

5. For complex systems such as nuclear energy, safety systems should be proactive and flexible in times of instability.

6. How communication takes places with the public is just as important as whether it occurs at all.