Incheon City to Strengthen Radiation Testing of Ganghwado Seafood to Address Concerns Over North Korean Uranium Plant Wastewater

Incheon City has decided to strengthen radiation testing of seafood from Ganghwado Island in order to alleviate public anxiety following claims that North Korea has been discharging wastewater from a uranium refining plant.

The city’s Fisheries Technology Support Center announced on the 28th that, until November, it will conduct radiation tests on seafood that is about to be traded at fishing communities and wholesale markets in Ganghwa-gun.

The tests will be conducted regularly at least twice a month for substances such as iodine (I-131) and cesium (Cs-137, 134). These substances are radioactive nuclides that emit the most radiation during nuclear accidents and are used as key indicators of contamination in food.

Seafood Safety Survey Sample Collection. Incheon City Health and Environment Research Institute

This round of testing is being carried out to verify the safety of local seafood and to address public concerns, in response to recent claims that untreated radioactive wastewater from the Pyongsan uranium refining plant in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, has flowed into the West Sea and caused contamination. The test results will be shared with the Ganghwado fishing communities and related producers, and will also be available on the website of the city’s Fisheries Technology Support Center.

Previously, on the 7th and 10th, the Fisheries Technology Support Center collected and tested four types of seafood?clams, Asian hard clams, gizzard shad, and butterfish?from the waters off Samsan-myeon, Hajeom-myeon, and Seonwon-myeon in Ganghwa-gun. No radioactive substances were detected in any of the samples.

A representative from the Incheon Fisheries Technology Support Center stated, "We will continue regular testing to ensure that citizens can safely consume seafood."

Meanwhile, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Environment announced on the 18th that, after collecting and analyzing samples from a total of 10 points?including the area of Ganghwado Island and the Han River estuary, which are closest to the Yesong River estuary near the Pyongsan uranium refining plant?no abnormalities were found.