In accordance with the notification of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), environmental impact assessments around nuclear power plants are conducted annually and the results are disclosed to the public. The effects of direct radiation exposure from nuclear power plants as well as liquid effluents and gaseous effluents are taken into consideration in the evaluation of dose calculation for residents. In the United States, regulatory guidelines on direct radiation exposure are described in Reg. Guide 4.1, and the effects of direct radiation are evaluated through regulatory guidelines in Korea. We are going to review optimal evaluation method by reviewing the direct radiation exposure evaluation method currently being conducted in domestic nuclear power plants and the direct radiation exposure evaluation method in overseas nuclear power plants such as in the United States.