Beyond the manual: A sociotechnical resilience assessment of South Korea's radiological emergency preparedness system

Following the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, the Republic of Korea has significantly enhanced its radiological emergency preparedness system. However, a deep-seated evaluation of the system's practical effectiveness remains insufficient. This study applies the framework of resilience engineering to systematically evaluate the Emergency Response Manuals of the Republic of Korea's central and local governments, with the aim of identifying the system's fundamental strengths and weaknesses. The analysis reveals notable strengths in technical and quantitative domains, particularly in monitoring and communication mechanisms. However, it also exposes critical shortcomings in complex and dynamic capabilities, such as adaptive scenario-based response strategies, long-term recovery planning, and human resource management. Notably, disparities in response capabilities among local governments, stemming from differences in budget and engagement, undermine the system's overall effectiveness. This study argues that these flaws are not merely procedural gaps. They are rooted in a performance paradox and a lack of anticipatory governance deeply embedded in Korea's public administration practices. Accordingly, the core contribution of this research lies in identification of systemic constraints in adaptive capacity and long-term recovery planning within the national disaster governance model. The improvements derived from this study should be integrated into the radiological emergency preparedness system to ensure thorough preparedness and effective management of potential nuclear disasters.