Studies on environmental tritium monitoring for safeguards purpose

The environmental tritium samples(precipitation, groundwater, surface water, etc.)were taken from the vicinity of the nuclear facilities in Korea. The tritium contents of the precipitation were recorded to be up to 1,385 TU in Korea owing to world-wide thermonuclear explosion in 1963 and recently have been decreased to about 10 TU after the atmospheric test ban treaty became effective, which is similar to those of post-1953 period. The tritium contents of surface water and groundwater near Wolsong heavy water reactors since commercial operation are higher than those of natural level, whereas those near Kori light water reactors are similar in value to the natural level. The tritium background data of nuclear facilities in Korea could be used for environmental monitoring of IAEA programme 93+2.