Fukushima Contaminated Water Discharge D-1... Prime Minister: "If Standards Are Violated, Suspension Will Be Demanded; If Refused, Case Will Be Filed at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea"

Press Briefing at Government Sejong Complex on the 23rd
"Public Health and Safety, Both Are Top Priorities"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo [Image source=Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emphasized on the 23rd regarding the Japanese government's Fukushima contaminated water discharge issue, stating, "If the (standards) are not met, we will demand a halt to the (discharge)," and added, "If the discharge proceeds despite violations, we will apply international law and promptly file a petition with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to request urgent measures."

At a press briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, Prime Minister Han explained, "The discharge issue prioritizes public health and safety above all, and it is clear that these two aspects must be secured," and added, "We will complete all procedures to verify whether Japan's discharge actions comply with scientific standards." He further elaborated, "We will share and inspect data before discharge, data during discharge preparation, data before mixing tritium, and data during the mixing process in real-time as much as possible."

According to local media, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) are currently considering starting the marine discharge of contaminated water around 1 p.m. on the 24th. TEPCO has been measuring tritium concentrations since the previous day, and if there are no issues by 10 a.m. on the discharge start date, the discharge will commence.

Prime Minister Han stated, "The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will have more work and much stronger monitoring and inspection once the discharge begins," and added, "Entering Japanese territorial waters independently requires consultation with the Japanese government, but we will continue to conduct independent inspections and sampling in areas not far from there."

Regarding the ban on imports of marine products from Fukushima, he said, "Just like with beef, if it is not considered safe under 30 months, the ban will continue," and added, "Our government will mobilize all possible methods and measures to make efforts until it is deemed safe."