Local nuclear experts dismiss Fukushima water concerns

A researcher at the Gyeonggi Institute of Health & Environment in Suwon, Gyeonggi conducts safety checks for fish on June 15. [YONHAP]

A group of nuclear experts in Korea dismissed concerns over the impact of releasing wastewater from Fukushima on Korean society.

The Korean Nuclear Society said in a statement that the release of treated radioactive water from Fukushima would not affect the health of the public or Korea’s marine ecosystem, citing data and scientific analysis.

“A great amount of high-concentration radioactive wastewater had been released into the Pacific Ocean when the Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred in 2011, but there was no recognizable increase in radioactivity over the past 12 years due to the effects of the [changing] directions of ocean currents and the wastewater diluted in the ocean,” the society said.

A large volume of radioactive materials had been released into the Pacific Ocean before Japan began treating water through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) two years after the Fukushima Daiichi Plant was critically damaged by a tsunami unleashed by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake that struck northeastern Japan in 2011.

The society stressed in its statement that the “total amount of radioactive materials in the wastewater planned to be released is much less than that of materials released right after the accident took place,” and therefore, “cannot have a direct impact on the waters surrounding the country.”

In regard to treating tritium, a nuclide that is not being processed by ALPS, the society said that the amount of tritium that will be released into the ocean is very small.

“The total amount of tritium included in the radioactive wastewater is approximately 2.2 grams [as of April 2021] and Japan plans to release 0.062 grams per year,” the society wrote, adding the amount is very minimal compared to the 200 grams of tritium that are produced naturally every year and 3 grams of tritium that fall into the East Sea as rain.

The society pointed out that high-concentration radioactive wastewater will not be released since the concentration level will be measured during every step until they are released, adding that “focusing on technical issues such as malfunctioning of ALPS is an argument to sway public opinion.”

The group further promised in its statement to actively engage in matters related to the release of wastewater from Fukushima “to relieve the public’s concerns and prevent damage to fisheries,” and suggested public debate with those who have opposing arguments.

Meanwhile, the Korean government on Wednesday kept its firm stance on banning imports of seafood from areas affected by the Fukushima disaster during its daily press briefing on the release of treated radioactive water.

“Japan’s position will not affect Korea’s stance on whether or not we will import seafood from Fukushima,” said Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, a government agency under the Prime Minister’s Office.

Park's remarks came as some media outlets reported the Japanese government decided not to pressure Korea on lifting the ban on imports of Fukushima-produced seafood and not to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) again.

Korea’s Foreign Ministry is trying to confirm the reports as Japan has not announced its official position.

In 2015, Japan filed a complaint with the WTO over the ban, saying Korea's restriction on Japanese seafood is discriminatory. The WTO ruled against Korea's import ban in 2018, which was reversed a year later.

The WTO’s appellate body in 2019 concluded that the restriction is not “arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminating” against Japanese seafood.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]