Changwon Special City Establishes Comprehensive Measures for Japanese Nuclear Wastewater Discharge

Changwon Mayor Hong Nampyo, "Food Safety

Top Priority, Minimizing Damage to Fisheries Workers"

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam Province has prepared and begun implementing countermeasures consisting of 13 detailed tasks across 4 sectors to revitalize and promote seafood consumption, anticipating the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant soon after the IAEA's final report announcement.

Changwon Special City Hall, Gyeongnam.

The city plans to form and operate a Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Marine Discharge Response Team, led by the second vice mayor, consisting of four divisions including a general management division for responding to the marine discharge of contaminated water. The Fisheries Division will oversee this effort, with participation from seven departments including the Port Logistics Policy Division, Marine Leisure Division, Marine Business Division, and Regional Economy Division, to develop policies and ensure seafood safety.

To strengthen safety monitoring at the production stage and enhance safety during distribution, the number of simple radiation detectors will be increased from 4 to 7 units, and detailed radiation inspections of seafood will be expanded from twice a month to 20 times a month.

Additionally, marine radiation survey points will be expanded from Masan Port and Jinhae Bay to include Jindong Bay and Gusan-myeon, totaling four locations. Radiation inspections at Gwangam Beach will also be conducted in conjunction with the beach opening on the 1st. To address concerns about the mislabeling of Japanese seafood origins and increased consumer anxiety, honorary inspectors for seafood origin labeling checks will be introduced and operated.

Regarding the discharge of contaminated water from the nuclear power plant, to alleviate citizens' concerns through enhanced participation and communication, radiation-related information scattered across five institutions?the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, National Fishery Products Quality Management Service, Gyeongnam Fisheries Safety Technology Institute, Gyeongnam Health and Environment Research Institute, and Nuclear Safety and Security Commission?is being centralized and published weekly on the city’s website. A citizen participation seafood radiation inspection observation system will be operated, and promotion and education will be conducted through the Neighborhood Leaders Association, Residents’ Autonomy Committees, city newsletters, and neighborhood meetings.

To promote and revitalize the depressed seafood consumption, the city will encourage consumption of local seafood by having senior city officials hold seafood lunches at traditional markets and by promoting the use of traditional markets and sashimi restaurants across all departments. Cooperation will also be requested from public institutions and private companies to promote seafood consumption. To revitalize the traditional market economy, an Onnuri gift certificate refund event will be held.

A large-scale seafood safety campaign involving the Fisheries Cooperative, fishery business operators, self-governing communities, and public officials will be held extensively at Changwon Square, Masan Fish Market, and Jinhae Anmin Tunnel. Furthermore, a large-scale seafood consumption promotion event (festival) will be conducted with a project budget of 360 million KRW, including festivals and promotional events.

Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, “Prioritizing food safety, we will establish thorough measures to minimize seafood damage to those working in the fisheries industry and small business owners such as fish market vendors, and I urge public officials to set an example by actively consuming seafood.”