Ministry of Foreign Affairs Requests IAEA Secretary-General to Thoroughly Review Fukushima Contaminated Water

Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon Meets Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General
Requests Thorough Review of Fukushima Contaminated Water

Lee Do-hoon, the 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Austria on the 7th (local time) and requested a thorough safety review of the Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water scheduled to be discharged this spring.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 8th, Vice Minister Lee asked Director General Grossi to "continue conducting a thorough safety review of Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water discharge plan based on science." He also requested cooperation to allow our specialized institutions and research institutes to continuously participate in IAEA activities to enhance the transparency of IAEA operations.

Lee Do-hoon, the 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Austria on the 7th (local time) and requested a thorough safety review of the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant scheduled to be discharged this spring. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Furthermore, he asked the IAEA to communicate more actively with stakeholders, including Korea and Pacific island countries, regarding the ongoing verification activities of Japan's contaminated water.

Vice Minister Lee evaluated the IAEA's continuous monitoring of North Korea's nuclear activities and its contribution to raising international awareness of the North Korean nuclear issue. Director General Grossi expressed full agreement with the international community's concerns about the North Korean nuclear issue and stated that the IAEA is maintaining a thorough verification readiness posture regarding North Korea's nuclear program.

Additionally, Vice Minister Lee met with Robert Floyd, Director General of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), to exchange views on the North Korean nuclear issue and other matters. Vice Minister Lee explained the South Korean government's efforts for the complete denuclearization of North Korea and requested CTBTO's continued interest and support, as an international organization that detects nuclear tests. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that both sides agreed to continue cooperating on the North Korean nuclear issue in the future.