Yoon asks Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring Fukushima water discharge

Diplomacy

Published: 13 Jul. 2023, 17:03

Yoon asks Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring Fukushima water discharge

President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol asked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring the discharge of treated wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.

Yoon further requested Japan to immediately halt the water release if radioactive materials exceed the standard level and inform the Korean side, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius on Wednesday, according to the presidential office in a statement.

Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a report that backs Japan's plan to release the contaminated water stored in tanks from its crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima into the ocean. The move worries international environmental groups, the Japanese fishing industry and neighboring countries.

In Korea, Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers are vehemently opposing the release.

A massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, destroying the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Japan has struggled for years to decide what to do with the contaminated water from the accident.

During the 30-minute meeting, Yoon said that he "respected" the conclusion drawn by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, referring to the IAEA report, which found that water discharge meets international safety standards.

Yoon asked Japan to "share monitoring information on whether the entire discharge process is carried out as planned with our side in real-time and allow Korean experts to participate in the discharge inspection process."

Kishida, in turn, said that Japan will make every effort to ensure the safety of the water discharge so that it does not harm the health of the Korean and Japanese people or the environment.

He said that the water discharged will be reviewed by the IAEA and that Japan will reveal information monitoring the process with "high transparency," said the office.

Kishida said if the monitoring detects problems such as high concentrations of radioactive materials, Japan "will take appropriate measures," including possibly ceasing the water discharge.

The two leaders also strongly criticized North Korea for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier that day.

"I believe that South Korea and Japan can work together to contribute greatly to peace and prosperity in the region and to resolving global issues," Yoon said in his opening remarks.

He said that the latest ICBM launch is an act of provocation that threatens regional and global peace and stability and a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The two leaders assessed that efforts to improve bilateral relations are showing "tangible results," such as the restoration of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries after 12 years.

This marks the sixth meeting between the two countries' leaders since Yoon took office.

They also agreed to "continue efforts to develop bilateral cooperation in a future-oriented manner," according to Yoon's office. The countries plan to operate various dialogue channels to seek ways to work together in diplomacy, security, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Yoon and Kishida also met earlier that day in a meeting of the leaders of the AP4, or Asia-Pacific Partners, countries involving Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The AP4 leaders said in a joint statement they "strongly condemn" North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile launch, which is in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and "[poses] a grave challenge to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, Indo-Pacific region as well as the international community."

The statement added that even if Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear and missile programs, "it will only bolster the international community's resolve to achieve complete denuclearization of North Korea."

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The Korean government on Thursday said that it would engage in swift follow-up discussions with Japan regarding the water discharge issue following the Korea-Japan summit.

"President Yoon reiterated the basic position that public health and safety is the top priority in responding to the contaminated water issue," said Park Gu-yeon, first deputy director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, in a daily briefing in Seoul.

In turn, DP lawmakers on Thursday criticized Yoon for appearing to accept the discharge of the contaminated water and ignoring the wishes of the Korean public.

"We are only looking at the interests of Japan, not our national interest," DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung said in a party meeting.

People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers in turn shot back that Kishida had accepted Yoon's requests and urged the DP to halt its politics trying to aggravate the matter.

"President Yoon's summit with Prime Minister Kishida has provided an important turning point, such as untangling the issues related to the discharge of contaminated water in Fukushima," said Rep. Yun Jae-ok, PPP floor leader, in a supreme council meeting. "Prime Minister Kishida accepted virtually all of President Yoon's requests, saying that Japan would not release anything that would adversely affect the health and environment of Koreans by making every effort to ensure the safety of its water discharge."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]