This study investigates the phenomenon of confirmation bias in information selection in the context of nuclear spent fuel (NSF) storage facilities. An online survey was administered to a sample of 321 residents in South Korea. They were asked to assess their beliefs about the safety/risk of NSF storage facilities before and after their exposure to additional information. Our findings show a positive association between the initial belief and confirmation bias, suggesting that the research participants tend to select articles consistent with their beliefs about the safety/risk of the facility. Trust in government is negatively related to confirmation bias, implying that residents with a greater level of trust in government are more likely to choose information opposing their initial beliefs. Finally, this study finds the self-reinforcing and potentially polarizing nature of individuals' beliefs about the safety/risk of NSF storage facilities as residents’ initial beliefs are reinforced rather than challenged after they reviewed self-selected articles. Implications for public policy and communication strategies related to improving the acceptance of NSF storage facilities are discussed.