One Year Since Contaminated Water Discharge... "Now No Customers Avoid Japanese Products" [Report]

Actual seafood sales higher than average
First half of this year sees increase in Japanese imports compared to same period
Concerns remain... "Need to monitor further"

"Japanese contaminated water? It seems people have quickly forgotten about it. I was a bit concerned at first, but now... well. (laughs)"

At noon on the 28th, at Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Kang (65), who runs a store here, said, "Even though it's peak crab season, there aren't many customers," as he sat beside the tank waiting for customers. He explained, "The poor business is not because of the Japanese contaminated water, but because the economy is bad," adding, "Fish species famous for being from Japan have sold similarly last year and this year."

A video displaying the message "The range of radioactive concentration in our country's sea is safe" is being played on the electronic billboard inside Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yeom Da-yeon]

During the weekday daytime, Noryangjin Fish Market was neither very crowded nor empty. Some stores were bargaining with customers, while groups of merchants were chatting with each other. Customers shopping and foreign tourists browsing fish were scattered throughout the market. On the electronic display attached to the ceiling, a video repeatedly played stating, "Our seas are safe from radiation."

Since Japan began discharging contaminated water from Fukushima on August 24 last year, concerns about radioactive contamination of seafood and the sea arose, but a year later, the atmosphere in the fish market showed little concern about it. It was difficult to find stores without "Japan" indicated on the origin labels attached to the aquariums.

The merchants met that day unanimously said, "Who really cares much about Japanese radioactive seafood these days?" Jang Jeong-yeol (60), who has operated a store in Noryangjin for about 30 years, said, "Nowadays, most customers care more about the species than which country it comes from," and confessed, "I don't worry about contaminated water; it's the lack of customers that's tough."

Choi Byung-ha (49) also said, "There was news recently that Noryangjin Fish Market was bustling, but that's not true; customers are gradually disappearing," explaining, "People just aren't spending much money, but I don't think there's an atmosphere of avoiding Japanese seafood." He added, "I've worked in various fish markets for 28 years, and overall, the situation is not good these days."

Origin label attached to the aquarium in the fish market.
Photo by Yeom Dayeon

Consumers visiting the fish market shared similar views. Kim (65), a resident of Dongjak-gu, Seoul, said, "I'm a regular at Noryangjin Fish Market, and since they say radiation or contaminated water is not a big problem, I don't worry about it," adding, "The seas are all pretty much the same; what's the difference?"

In fact, consumer sentiment toward seafood has not been significantly dampened. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, "seafood sales at the three major large marts (E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Homeplus)" were higher than average in the first half of this year. Based on June 2022 sales, a value above 100 indicates an increase in sales, and below 100 indicates a decrease.

Comparing the three-year sales of large marts recently shows levels similar to or exceeding the average. The average from September to December last year, right after Japan's contaminated water discharge, was 119.75, indicating steady seafood consumption.

In the first half of this year, imports of Japanese seafood amounted to 18,196 tons, an increase compared to 15,594 tons in the first half of last year, just before the Fukushima nuclear plant discharge. This is the highest level since 2017 for the first half of the year. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also publishes daily radiation test results for seafood, and all 10,615 tests conducted this year have passed.

Nevertheless, concerns about the contaminated water discharge still exist. Kim (21) said, "I hesitate when it comes to Japanese seafood," adding, "They say there is no problem, but I think the long-term issues are still unknown." According to a survey by the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements, 73.6% of respondents said they could not agree with the government's position that the contaminated water discharge is scientifically safe.

Experts explain that it is necessary to observe the situation more long-term. Baek Do-myeong, emeritus professor at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, said, "If organisms are exposed to contaminants for a long time, it inevitably harms the food chain," and explained, "Since there are not many evaluations or data related to this, it is difficult to say that Japanese seafood is completely safe."