Korea needs to foster more sufficiently accredited nuclear security professionals to stand out as a reactor exporter in an expanding global atomic power plant market, Roger Howsley, president of the World Institute for Nuclear Security, said on Friday.

The British expert on nuclear security said exporting of nuclear power plants should come with safety management for the reactor post-construction.

“I think it’s essential to have accredited professionals for safety and emergency management. Raising such professionals will advance competency of Korean players in the global stage,” Howsley told The Korea Herald in an interview held as part of the 2012 Nuclear Industry Summit.

“You need it to run nuclear reactors, because managing a security incident is complicated, the investigation process post-crisis always comes down to who built the thing, and how qualified the builder was,” he said.