NPI CAS and Korea’s KINS Strengthen Cooperation in Cosmic Radiation and Aviation Radiation Protection

On 24 August 2026, Ondřej Svoboda, Director of the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (NPI CAS), and Jiyon Lee, Director of the Division of Radiation Protection for NORM and Cosmic Radiation at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Řež, Czech Republic. The document builds on the existing professional cooperation between the two institutions and provides a framework for its further development.

KINS serves as South Korea’s national authority for nuclear and radiation safety. In the field of cosmic radiation, it operates an extensive network of detectors installed directly on board aircraft. This network also includes AIRDOS detectors developed at NPI CAS within the CRREAT Centre.

The cooperation will focus primarily on cosmic radiation dosimetry on board aircraft, radiation measurements in aviation environments, detector development and calibration, and assessments of the impact of space weather on radiation exposure. Planned activities include joint airborne measurement campaigns, comparative studies of detector systems, the exchange of selected datasets, the use of Monte Carlo simulations of atmospheric radiation fields, and the preparation of joint scientific publications.

The visit of the Korean delegation began at the Prague facility of the NPI CAS Department of Dosimetry. During the visit, the guests met with department staff and were introduced to its history and main research areas. These include measurements of cosmic radiation at aviation altitudes and in space, the development of active detectors for radiation dosimetry, dosimetry of aircrew, measurements at high-altitude observatories, and research into high-energy atmospheric phenomena associated with thunderstorms.

The programme continued with meetings at the main NPI CAS campus in Husinec-Řež, where the memorandum was officially signed. The visit also included a tour of the MILEA accelerator mass spectrometry laboratories. Dr Veronika Brychová introduced the Korean delegation to the laboratory facilities, the principles of the accelerator system, and its research applications.

Read also

• NPI CAS organised the 29th international WRMISS workshop
• The Mayor of Brno visited the Laboratory of Microtron
• Describing unusual winter lightning could help extend the lifespan of wind turbines
• The solar eclipse and its impact on cosmic radiation
• 3D scanning helps select eggs for a future ISS mission
• Unique CRL method opens new possibilities for dating prehistoric rock art
• NPI co-organises two major international physics conferences
• NPI scientists tested a new neutron detector for materials research at ESS
• Unique experiment helps reveal how hydrogen affects the properties of metals
• Dalibor Skoupil’s student from the Department of Theoretical Physics succeeds at student conference