Presidential Office: "Fukushima Seafood Will Never Enter Domestic Market"

Presidential Office Spokesperson's Media Notice: "People's Health Comes First"
Kyodo News Reports Yoon's Remarks on Fukushima Contaminated Water Discharge
Reported in Relay Format... "Will Seek Understanding from Korean People"

The Presidential Office stated on the 30th that "there will never be a case where Fukushima seafood enters the country" in response to growing concerns about the import of seafood from Fukushima, Japan.

The Presidential Office spokesperson's office issued a press release that morning, saying, "Regarding the import of Japanese seafood, the government's position remains unchanged that the health and safety of the people are the top priority."

Concerns are rising domestically following Japanese media reports that during the Korea-Japan summit held on the occasion of President Yoon Seok-yeol's visit to Japan on the 16th and 17th, the Japanese side demanded the removal of import restrictions on Fukushima seafood.

In particular, controversy has spread after Japan's Kyodo News reported the day before that on the second day of President Yoon's visit to Japan, the 17th, he met with former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo and reportedly said, regarding the issue of releasing contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean, "Even if it takes time, we will seek the understanding of the Korean people."

Kyodo News also reported that Nukaga Fukushiro, former chairman of the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians' Union, who was present at the meeting, requested the Korean government to understand the release of contaminated water and to lift the ban on imports of Japanese seafood that has been in place since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.

However, the Presidential Office has not issued any specific statement regarding the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant reported by Kyodo News, and it is expected that the controversy will not subside. The Presidential Office previously stated right after the Korea-Japan summit, "We cannot disclose the specific details of what the two leaders discussed at the Korea-Japan summit."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is greeting former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, who is assuming the position of chairman of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League, during a meeting with Korea-Japan friendship organizations and Japanese political leaders at a hotel in Tokyo on the 17th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]