Opposition Party Launches International Campaign Against Japan's Radioactive Water Discharge... Visits to US and Europe

Democratic Fukushima Contaminated Water Task Force Visits US and Europe
Meets UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur and IMO Secretary-General

The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party, are embarking on a full-scale international public opinion campaign by visiting the United States and Europe to urge the suspension of the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.

On the 13th, the Democratic Party's Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Marine Dumping Prevention General Countermeasures Committee held a "Press Conference for the Departure of the International Solidarity and Parliamentary Diplomacy Delegation," stating, "The Democratic Party, the Justice Party, and civil society will head to the United States, Europe, and Japan for stronger international solidarity." Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi and representatives from civil society organizations are also expected to accompany the delegation.

The Democratic Party of Korea's Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Ocean Dumping Prevention General Countermeasures Committee, the Justice Party, and civic group representatives are holding a press conference at the National Assembly on the 13th regarding their departure for international solidarity and parliamentary diplomacy tours.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Democratic Party lawmakers Lee Yong-seon and Lee Su-jin (proportional representation), members of the General Countermeasures Committee, along with Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi, will visit New York, USA, where the United Nations General Assembly is being held, from the 14th to the 19th. They plan to participate in a march at the UN headquarters with international environmental NGOs, hold meetings with Korean residents, and meet with American politicians to raise awareness of the contaminated water issue in the international community.

Democratic Party lawmakers Woo Won-shik and Yang Yi-won-young, along with Song Ki-ho, head of the Policy Planning Headquarters, plan to visit London, UK, and Geneva, Switzerland, from the 15th to the 19th. Ahead of the UN General Assembly on the 19th and the 45th London Convention and 18th London Protocol meetings next month on the 2nd, they will meet with the UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur and the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Democratic Party lawmakers affiliated with the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League, including Yoon Ho-jung, will also contribute to the international public opinion campaign regarding Japan's contaminated water. Since the marine discharge of contaminated water is a major issue between the two countries, they are discussing addressing this topic in subcommittee meetings at the joint meeting scheduled for the 15th in Tokyo, Japan.

The General Countermeasures Committee stated, "We will emphasize that the marine dumping of Fukushima contaminated water is a major concern for both Korean and Japanese citizens and propose that lawmakers from both countries engage in discussions to alleviate these concerns." They added, "We will also request Japanese lawmakers to address the problems of marine dumping by the Japanese government and to call for its suspension."

They continued, "All of us here today embark on this overseas tour with the determination of the Hague Special Envoy," pledging, "Embracing the resolve of our ancestors from 116 years ago, we will do our utmost to expose the problems of the Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water marine dumping to the world and work with the international community to prevent it."