Visit to Masan Fish Market and Masan Port 2nd Pier
Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, visited Masan Fish Market in Changwon City on the 25th to encourage merchants facing difficulties such as reduced seafood consumption due to the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
According to Gyeongnam Province, although a festival was scheduled to begin at the largest seafood market in the province on that day, the market appeared somewhat quiet.
Governor Park toured the sashimi restaurant street and other areas to meet and encourage merchants, listening to their concerns and difficulties related to the decline in seafood consumption from Shim Myung-seop, the head of the merchants' association, and others.
Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province is talking with merchants at Masan Fish Market in Changwon City. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Governor Park said, “The government will do its best to help our fisheries industry regain vitality,” adding, “There should be no baseless rumors that reduce seafood consumption or cause anxiety among residents.”
After meeting with the fish market merchants, Governor Park visited the marine radiation monitoring site at Masan Port’s 2nd pier and checked the status of radiation inspections through the Director of the Marine and Fisheries Bureau.
Governor Park stated, “As the discharge of contaminated water from Japan’s nuclear power plant has begun, residents’ concerns about the marine environment and seafood safety are significant,” and urged, “Please expand radiation inspection equipment and disclose inspection results quickly and transparently to ensure the safety of residents’ food with thorough and meticulous testing.”
Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province is discussing the current status of marine radiation investigation at Masanhang 2nd Pier in Changwon City. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Earlier, Gyeongnam Province installed tritium analysis equipment and increased the number of marine radiation monitoring points from 8 to 23 to establish a radiation safety monitoring network.
They are also expanding private radiation inspections before distribution at six seafood wholesale markets.
A joint emergency situation room between the province and city/counties was established to increase radiation inspections of seafood at the production stage from 20 to 40 tests per week, and the radiation inspection public observation events were changed from once a month to once a week.
A provincial official stated, “We plan to alleviate residents’ anxiety through thorough inspections and monitoring of seafood safety and imported seafood from Japan.”
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