Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Continuing to Closely Monitor Japan's Fukushima Contaminated Water Disposal Activities, Cooperating with the International Community"

'Japan's Policy on Ocean Discharge of Nuclear Wastewater' Reported by Local Media
Foreign Ministry: "Japan Has Not Yet Decided on Wastewater Treatment Method"... Continues to Closely Monitor Related Activities
Korean Government Elevates Interagency Meeting to Vice Minister Level to Strengthen Response to Wastewater

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in response to reports by Japanese local media that the Japanese government has decided to discharge contaminated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea after reducing the concentration of radioactive materials, saying, "We understand that the Japanese side has not yet decided on the method of treating the contaminated water," and added that it will continue to closely monitor activities related to the disposal of contaminated water.

On the 15th, the Mainichi Shimbun, citing government officials, reported that "the Japanese government plans to hold a meeting this month to discuss and decide on the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and measures for contaminated water," and that it has decided on the policy of discharging the water into the sea. At Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, contaminated water is generated at a rate of 160 to 170 tons per day as rainwater and groundwater mix with circulating cooling water used to cool the molten nuclear fuel inside the reactor, which caused an explosion during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

According to Tokyo Electric Power Company, as of September this year, the contaminated water stored in tanks amounts to 1.23 million tons, and the capacity of the tanks storing the contaminated water is expected to reach its limit by the summer of 2022.

In response, the Korean government has continuously emphasized transparent information sharing with the Japanese side regarding the disposal of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant and communication with the international community, while demanding that the impact on the surrounding environment and human health be given top priority. In particular, the Office for Government Policy Coordination is leading a whole-of-government response to the Fukushima contaminated water issue, and recently elevated inter-agency meetings on strengthening the response to the contaminated water to the vice-ministerial level.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official explained, "Going forward, the government will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our citizens as the foremost standard, closely monitor the Japanese side's activities related to the disposal of contaminated water, and seek measures based on cooperation with the international community."