<p>Geological disposal is widely recognized as one of the most reliable methods for ensuring long-term environmental protection by isolating and disposing of high-level radioactive waste within geologically stable formations. Disposal sites must be capable of sustaining essential safety functions under geological, mechanical, hydrogeological and geochemical conditions and the systems and procedures for demonstrating this performance must be clearly defined. This review examines the cases of Sweden, Finland and France, which have completed final site selection, as well as Germany, where the process is still in progress. The analysis considers the site development frameworks and current status in each country, together with the criteria and requirements established by implementers and regulators for disposal sites and natural barriers and highlights both the shared elements and the differences among national approaches. In addition, this study reviews how the regulatory authorities in Finland and Sweden evaluated the final license applications submitted by the implementers, with particular attention to the review procedures followed and the key items assessed. Based on these international case studies, this paper identifies implications for future site selection in Korea and seeks to contribute to the establishment of stepwise site evaluation procedures, assessment frameworks and quantitative performance criteria.</p>