Gyeongnam Province Significantly Strengthens Surveillance at 'Seafood Safety Management Center' Following Japan's Decision to Discharge Contaminated Water

Expansion of Testing Capabilities for Radioactivity and Heavy Metals to Preemptively Block Distribution of Harmful Seafood

Aerial view of Gyeongnam Seafood Safety Management Center.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 15th that it will further strengthen safety inspections so that residents can consume seafood with confidence ahead of the completion of the Seafood Safety Management Center scheduled for August.

This is aimed at preventing fishing damage caused by radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant through the operation of the Seafood Safety Management Center, following the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.

The Provincial Fisheries Safety Technology Institute, which will operate the center, has been randomly collecting about 600 samples annually since 2011, serving as a shield to block defective seafood from circulating in the consumer market.

In particular, for radiation inspections, gamma nuclide analysis equipment was introduced in 2014, and since 2015, radiation (cesium and iodine) analysis has been conducted on about 150 marine catches annually.

Additionally, contamination levels are being investigated and analyzed by sea area and fish species, and the inspection results are posted on the provincial website every two weeks.

The newly established Seafood Safety Management Center plans to be completed and operational in August this year, securing a total project cost of 6 billion KRW, the first of its kind nationwide, to further strengthen the safety of seafood produced within the province.

Furthermore, starting next year, radiation analysis equipment and dedicated analysis personnel will be expanded to conduct frequent monitoring of seafood within the province.

Moreover, by expanding the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' marine radioactive substance investigation areas from the current four locations within the province to two additional sites, it plans to propose strengthening the monitoring function for radioactive substance inflow to ensure the safety of coastal fishing grounds.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.