Gyeonggi Marine Fisheries Resources Institute: "Gyeonggi Sea Radiation 'Safe'... Local Seafood 'Suitable'"

Seafood Safety Inspection Building of Gyeonggi-do Marine Fisheries Resources Research Institute

The radiation levels in seafood distributed within Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Sea were found to be similar to those before the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima, Japan.

The Gyeonggi Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute announced on the 28th that radiation tests conducted on a total of 33 samples of 14 species, including blue crabs, rockfish, and whiteleg shrimp, collected from two fish markets located in Hwaseong and Ansan and 17 aquaculture farms from August 24 to September 19?the period starting from the discharge date of the Japanese nuclear power plant's contaminated water?were all deemed safe.

The test items included cesium and iodine, with cesium required to be detected at 100 becquerels or less per kilogram and iodine at 100 becquerels or less per kilogram to be considered safe.

Since July of last year, the institute has also been analyzing the radiation concentrations of cesium and iodine in surface seawater samples collected from four locations in the Gyeonggi Sea: Pungdo, Daebudo, and near the Siwha-Hwaseong seawall, totaling 40 samples.

Kim Bong-hyun, director of the Gyeonggi Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute, stated, "We will continue to strengthen radiation testing of seafood and conduct more detailed radiation surveys of seawater to ensure that safe seafood free from radiation and other contaminants reaches the tables of Gyeonggi residents."