Park Kwang-on "Inspection Team Results to Be Reported at the National Assembly Level"
The Democratic Party of Korea has announced a plan for a "thorough and transparent verification" regarding the inspection team for the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. The party also expressed its intention to review the inspection team's findings at the National Assembly level.
On the 22nd, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, mentioned the departure of the Fukushima contaminated water inspection team during the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, stating, "Whether it is contaminated water, treated water, or nuclear waste is unknown, but it is clear that it is harmful to human health and that Japan's discharge of contaminated water is an inappropriate and unjust act." He added, "Thorough and transparent verification of the contaminated water is absolutely necessary for the safety and health of our people."
On that day, a banner hung behind Leader Lee read, "The ocean dumping of Fukushima contaminated water is radioactive terrorism!"
Regarding the verification of the contaminated water, Leader Lee said, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration does not seem to have any intention of doing so. The government gave up on the core of verification, sample collection, from the beginning." He continued, "They even justified Japan's refusal to allow sample collection, hid the list of the inspection team members, and did not allow the press to accompany them. They are hiding everything from who and how the verification will be conducted." He criticized, "There is no reason for our people to trust the results derived in this manner. Especially, Japanese media are already saying that the dispatch of the inspection team will lead to the import of Fukushima seafood. It is truly concerning whether the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is acting according to the script written by Japan."
Leader Lee stated, "If there is even the slightest risk to public health, it is the state's duty to be extremely cautious." He added, "Without sample collection, without the list of the inspection team, and without media verification, this threefold lack of transparency inspection should never serve as a screen for Japan's dumping of contaminated water."
Park Kwang-on, floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, "The very term 'inspection team' is a name disconnected from public sentiment." He pointed out, "It feels like the first step was taken incorrectly. The composition of the inspection team was not properly disclosed to the public, and the schedule was short, so there is no indication anywhere of the government's will to verify safety."
Floor leader Park emphasized, "The inspection team must not only review materials provided by the Japanese side or visit only designated locations." He warned, "If the on-site inspection plays a role in justifying Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the nuclear power plant, the public cannot escape criticism for that mistake." He added, "The National Assembly will receive the inspection results from the inspection team and carefully examine the parts that the public is curious about." He also announced, "We will actively consider measures to question the government on behalf of the people and to summon the inspection team to the National Assembly in consultation with the ruling party."
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