Won Hee-ryong "Will Take Legal Action Against Japan's Contaminated Water Discharge"

Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Regarding Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province, expressed his intention to take legal action.

Governor Won held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 13th and stated, "Starting tomorrow, we will immediately discuss with experts to prepare response measures under international and domestic law." On the same day, the Japanese government decided to lower the contaminated water stored in tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to below legal standards and discharge it into the sea over approximately 30 years.

In response, Governor Won condemned the act as "a violent act against neighboring countries sharing the sea and their citizens," adding, "The Japanese government has an obligation to share accurate information about the contaminated water not only with its own citizens but also with neighboring countries such as Korea and China and their people. The final decision on the method of treating the contaminated water should have been made through active consultation with neighboring countries."

Governor Won emphasized, "Now is not the time to talk but to act," and stated, "We will summon the Japanese Consul General stationed in Jeju and deliver a strong protest through a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador."

He continued, "Five local governments, including Jeju, Busan, Gyeongnam, Ulsan, and Jeonnam, will form a countermeasure committee to strongly and effectively respond to the contaminated water discharge."

He also demanded more than just an expression of regret from the government. Governor Won said, "Five UN Special Rapporteurs issued a statement to the Japanese government on the 11th of last month, stating that the plan to discharge contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean poses 'serious risks to the environment and human rights.' The Secretary-General of Greenpeace also pointed out that Japan's discharge decision violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," and added, "I hope the government takes all possible measures."

Regarding the U.S. State Department's de facto support for Japan's discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, Governor Won told reporters, "It seems the U.S. State Department spoke based on various U.S. government standards, but we are not obligated to accept the U.S. standards," and explained, "Even if the positions of the U.S. and Korea differ, it does not necessarily mean there is a fundamental problem in diplomatic relations."