[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Members of the People Power Party in the National Assembly have called for a strong response from the Moon Jae-in administration regarding Japan's discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima into the ocean.
On the 14th, members of the People Power Party's National Assembly Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee and Environment and Labor Committee urged the government, stating, "We strongly demand that all capabilities be mobilized to promptly establish close countermeasures against Japan's discharge of contaminated water."
The Japanese government decided the previous day to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean. Due to rainwater and groundwater entering the reactor facilities that exploded during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, an average of 140 tons of contaminated water is generated daily at Fukushima Daiichi. It is expected to take about two years to construct the necessary facilities for ocean discharge, so the actual discharge is anticipated to begin in earnest from early 2023.
Members of the People Power Party's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee and Environment and Labor Committee pointed out, "The Japanese government has continued a non-cooperative stance in disclosing information without consulting neighboring countries. However, what the Moon administration did was only convene a vice-ministerial meeting and summon the Japanese ambassador to Korea after the decision to discharge contaminated water," adding, "The Moon administration must not overlook that Japan's discharge of nuclear power plant contaminated water will cause serious damage not only to our country's marine ecosystem but also to the health and safety of the people and the fisheries industry."
They also expressed regret toward the Japanese government. The committee members said, "Even if the contaminated water is treated with radionuclide removal facilities, the radioactive substance 'tritium' remains and can cause significant harm to local residents and neighboring countries," and criticized, "Despite widespread opposition from the international community, the Japanese government ignored alternatives such as 'atmospheric release of contaminated water' and 'expansion of storage tanks,' and forcibly decided on ocean discharge solely from a cost perspective. It is questionable whether such a government can truly be called an advanced nation."
The People Power Party plans to take the lead in involving South Korea in all processes of the contaminated water discharge through communication with the international community and in prompting the Japanese government to disclose information transparently.
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