Gyeonggi Province Spokesperson: "Japan's Discharge of Contaminated Water Is a Sin and an Anti-Civilization Crime"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has called for the immediate halt of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant's contaminated water discharge into the ocean.

Kim Hong-guk, spokesperson for Gyeonggi Province, stated on Facebook on the 13th, "The Japanese government decided to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean through a cabinet meeting on the morning of the 13th," and criticized, "The Japanese government's decision is the starting point of a human catastrophe that threatens the safety of not only the neighboring Republic of Korea but also the entire global community suffering from the recent COVID-19 pandemic."

He continued, "We strongly condemn this and urge an immediate halt with deep reflection," warning, "Japan must deeply contemplate how great a sin it is to threaten the lives and safety of neighboring countries' citizens and that this is an anti-civilizational crime."

Furthermore, he said, "The Japanese government must immediately stop and apologize for the unilateral decision to discharge contaminated water, which even its own citizens oppose, without consultation with the international community and neighboring countries," and urged, "Our government should also respond strongly, considering the high possibility that the discharge of Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water will adversely affect the domestic marine ecosystem and fisheries industry."

In particular, he stated, "Japan's behavior of making such an anti-humanity and anti-civilization decision without seeking the understanding and consent of neighboring countries is a tragic reminder of the era of Japanese imperialism when Japan invaded neighboring countries under the name of militarism and committed atrocities," and directly criticized, "Deliberately discharging radioactive contaminated water, a byproduct of the nuclear accident caused by their own mismanagement, into the seas of neighboring countries will be a criminal act comparable to that of the imperialist era."

He also said, "If Japan proceeds with the discharge despite the world's stern warnings, it will become a public enemy of the world," and declared, "Gyeonggi Province urges the Japanese government to immediately withdraw this unfair and immoral criminal act, halt it immediately, and apologize."

Earlier, Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province also posted on Facebook on October 26 last year, titled 'Phasing out nuclear power is the way forward... Fukushima contaminated water discharge is unacceptable,' demanding, "The Japanese government withdraw its irrational discharge plan and transparently disclose information restricted under the Special Secrets Protection Act."