Lost reactor keys, on-site drinking: Safety gaps widen at Korea Hydro

Keys to reactor buildings and equipment at domestic nuclear power plants have gone missing multiple times this year, and disciplinary cases against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power employees have surged more than 80 percent compared with the same period last year. Five contract workers were also caught drinking on the job during unannounced checks, raising calls for a comprehensive review of workplace discipline and safety management at nuclear sites.

According to data submitted to the office of People Power Party lawmaker Park Jeong-ha, a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, two cases of lost keys related to reactor buildings and equipment have been recorded this year.

In March, a key to the reactor building at Hanul Unit 1 went missing after a worker failed to notice it had fallen while transporting portable measuring equipment. It was recovered the following day through an internal inspection.

In January, a key to the MSIV RM storage room — a maintenance materials warehouse — at Wolseong Unit 3 was lost and has yet to be recovered. A separate key to a drainage pump control panel at the same unit also went missing in May 2024 and remains unaccounted for.

Disciplinary actions against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) employees have also been on the rise. The number of cases stood at 30 in 2021, 35 in 2022, 23 in 2023 and 25 in 2024, before doubling to 50 last year. Through August this year, the count has already reached 56 — surpassing last year's full-year total and up 80.6 percent from the 31 cases recorded in the same period last year.

This year's disciplinary actions include one dismissal, 13 suspensions, 31 pay cuts and 11 reprimands. By cause, 46 of the 56 cases — or 82.1 percent — were attributed to lax workplace discipline. The remainder involved improper handling of duties and other misconduct.

Dismissals have continued as well. In April, one employee was dismissed after being absent without authorization for seven or more consecutive days. Separate from formal disciplinary actions, caution and warning notices totaled 2,246 from 2021 through August this year, averaging roughly 400 per year.

Gaps in alcohol management at nuclear sites have also come to light. During unannounced alcohol checks conducted last month under KHNP's safety and health obligations as a principal contractor under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, five contract workers were found to be under the influence.

The workers were employed by subcontractors performing on-site duties such as general labor and construction support. KHNP removed them from the premises and barred them from work that day. Their employers received safety violation notices and penalty points.

"Nuclear power plants demand stricter workplace discipline and safety management than any other organization, because even a small lapse can lead to a major accident," Park said. "With disciplinary cases surging and incidents such as lost reactor building keys and on-site drinking continuing to recur, KHNP must conduct a comprehensive review of its internal management systems and put in place effective measures to prevent a repeat."