"China and Greenpeace Also Concerned About Japanese Government Decision"
"Japan Claims 'Not Up for Discussion'"
As the Japanese government decided to discharge a large amount of radioactive contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident into the sea, concerns and worries among our citizens continue. On the 14th, the Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul showed a quiet scene. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 18th that it raised concerns about the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean and strongly requested responsible measures from the Japanese government during the virtual Scientific Group meeting of the London Convention and Protocol held from the 12th to the 16th.
The Scientific Group meeting is an expert body responsible for scientific and technical review within the London Convention and Protocol. Until now, the issue of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant had never been addressed in this meeting, but the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries raised the issue on the 13th following Japan's decision to discharge the contaminated water into the ocean, leading to its first discussion.
At the meeting, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries appealed that Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean was a unilateral action taken without sufficient consultation or understanding with the closest neighboring country, South Korea. It argued that this is a serious matter threatening the safety of surrounding countries and the marine environment. The ministry strongly urged member countries and Japan that the issue of discharging contaminated water from Fukushima into the ocean must be discussed in depth at the Scientific Group meeting.
Following South Korea's stance, China and the international environmental organization Greenpeace also expressed concerns about the Japanese government's decision, the ministry reported. In particular, Greenpeace emphasized the importance of information sharing and cooperation related to the ocean discharge.
In response, the Japanese side repeatedly claimed that the issue of discharging contaminated water into the ocean involves releasing it from land-based facilities into the sea, and therefore is not subject to discussion under the London Convention and Protocol, which deals with 'marine dumping' from ships, the ministry said.
Yoon Hyun-soo, Director General of Marine Environment Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, expressed regret over Japan's claim and said, "We will continue to urge the Japanese government to engage in sufficient discussions with neighboring countries and the international community, follow transparent verification procedures, and disclose information not only within the London Convention and Protocol bodies but also at other international meetings."
The London Convention is an international treaty aimed at preventing marine pollution by prohibiting the dumping of waste into the ocean, with 87 countries including South Korea participating. Member countries adopted the London Protocol in 1996, which strengthened the original convention by changing the regulation of dumping activities from 'prohibited items' to 'permitted dumping.' The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries proposed discussing the Fukushima contaminated water treatment issue at the Conference of the Parties, where government representatives from various countries participate, during the London Convention and Protocol meetings held two years ago and last year, gaining sympathy from some countries including China.
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