Fukushima Visit Opposition: "Conveyed Japan's Contaminated Water Concerns" Ruling Party: "International Embarrassment"

Yang Yi-won "Increase in Fukushima Searches by Korean Opposition"
Kim Ye-ryeong "Met Far-left Group and Returned with Empty-handed Diplomacy"

Members of the Democratic Party of Korea's 'Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Countermeasure Task Force' on the 9th evaluated their visit to the Fukushima nuclear power plant area in Japan, stating, "It seems that our position expressing concerns about the wastewater discharge has been clearly conveyed to Japanese society."

Among the task force members who returned early on the 8th after visiting Japan on the 6th, Representative Yang Yi-won-young revealed on her Facebook that "the search term 'Korean opposition party Fukushima' had 2.34 million hits until yesterday, but this morning it rose to 2.6 million, and now it has increased to over 3.1 million."

Representative Yang said, "The pollution and distrust were more severe than expected, and the opposition within Japan was also greater than anticipated," adding, "We clearly conveyed the concerns and opposition of the Korean people to Japan."

On April 7, 2023, Yoon Young-deok, Wi Seong-gon, Yang Yi-won-young, and Yoon Jae-gap, members of the Democratic Party of Korea's Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Countermeasures Task Force, visited Fukushima, Japan, and met with Satchihiko Fuse, director of the Fukushima Joint Medical Clinic. Photo by Yang Yi-won-young's Office. Redistribution and DB prohibited. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, Representatives Yang Yi-won-young, Wi Seong-gon, Yoon Young-duk, and Yoon Jae-gap visited Japan for a 2-night, 3-day trip. They confirmed that concerns about the wastewater discharge were significant even within Japan, but they were unable to arrange meetings with Tokyo Electric Power Company officials. Instead, they visited the Fukushima joint medical clinic and the evacuees' reconstruction housing.

Regarding the criticism that only one resident attended the local meeting at the evacuees' reconstruction housing, Representative Yang explained, "Several cameras were already present on site, and the residents said they were too embarrassed to come out," adding, "We must also respect the different Japanese culture compared to ours." She continued, "It has already been 10 years since the Fukushima nuclear accident, and now politicians no longer visit the reconstruction housing, so they expressed gratitude for our showing interest," emphasizing, "For them, the nuclear accident is not over."

The task force is considering holding a formal press briefing on the results of their visit to Japan on the 10th. The Democratic Party side is reportedly reviewing international discussion forums and other options.

In response, the People Power Party criticized the visit as a 'fruitless diplomacy.' Kim Ye-ryeong, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a comment the day before, "As everyone expected before departure, the results of the Democratic Party lawmakers' visit to Fukushima were 'empty-handed,'" adding, "Since the visit was primarily aimed at 'agitation' to deceive the public, an empty-handed outcome was expected from the start."

Furthermore, Kim pointed out that the Fukushima joint medical clinic is known to be associated with the 'Revolutionary Communist League, National Committee,' stating, "It is problematic and internationally embarrassing that members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, who should protect the constitutional value of 'liberal democracy,' met with an extreme left-wing group dreaming of a 'proletarian world revolution.'"