DP chief likens Fukushima release to Japan's WWII past

Social Affairs

Published: 23 Aug. 2023, 18:28

DP chief likens Fukushima release to Japan's WWII past

A researcher from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) speaks on a real-time seawater radioactivity monitoring system at a daily press briefing at the government complex in central Seoul Wednesday on the eve of Japan’s planned release of treated radioactive water from the defunct Fukushima nuclear power plant. [YONHAP]

The Democratic Party (DP) compared Japan's planned release of treated contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant on Thursday to an "act of terror" reminiscent of its imperialistic past in the Pacific War, locking horns with its rival People Power Party (PPP) over the discharge issue.

The Japanese government plans to begin discharge of the treated radioactive water from the defunct Fukushima nuclear power plant as early as around 1 p.m. on Thursday, according to Japanese media outlets Wednesday.

"We strongly condemn Japan's contaminated water terrorism," DP chief Lee Jae-myung said in his party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly Wednesday. "They say history repeats itself, and Japan's release of nuclear-contaminated water is likely to be recorded as the second Pacific War."

The DP has been vocally opposing Japan's water release plan, arguing that it could pose great health risks to the Korean people and be harmful to the domestic fishing industry. It criticized the Yoon Suk Yeol government's stance that the discharge would pose "no scientific or technical problems."

"Japan, who threatened the survival of neighboring countries through its imperialistic war of aggression in the past, is about to bring irreversible disaster to Korea and other Pacific coastal countries" through its planned released of the contaminated water," Lee said.

"If there is even the slightest bit of concern for the people, they should openly express their opposition."

In a briefing Tuesday, Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, assured Korea will be allowed regular visits to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) office in Fukushima to receive the latest updates on Japan's discharge of its treated radioactive water into the sea.

However, he underscored that the arrangement between the IAEA and Seoul does not mean that Korea fully supports the Japanese discharge plan.

"I want to make it clear that the Korean government doesn't approve or support the discharge of contaminated water," said Park, adding that if Japan veers from its original plan, the government will "deem this action harmful to the safety and health of the Korean people" and request Japan to immediately cease the release.

In turn, the PPP accused the DP of fearmongering and trying to raise "anti-Japanese" sentiments by politicizing the discharge issue.

At a PPP task force meeting on protection of the seas Wednesday, PPP floor leader Yun Jae-ok said, "Last month, the IAEA announced in its inspection results that the discharge plan met international safety standards, and the Korean government through a detailed verification process confirmed that the release plan is technically fine."

Yun said the "important thing is science and facts," criticizing the DP of using the discharge of contaminated water as a "political tool" and "marketing" fear, raising public anxiety.

"The DP should not just cry out anti-Japan and anti-government measures, but first discuss ways to resolve the difficulties of fishermen," he said.

A massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, causing a meltdown at the Fukushima plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco).

Environment activists have continued to worry that Tepco's release into the ocean of some 1 million metric tons of contaminated water processed by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) and stored in tanks at the plant will be harmful to the marine ecosystem and ultimately to human bodies. Japan claims the treated water to be free of most nuclides, except tritium.

The Japanese government and Tepco have been in talks to discharge the water from the Fukushima plant starting Thursday afternoon, according to Japan's Kyodo News Wednesday.

Tepco is reported to have transported around 1 ton of treated water to a dilution facility, mixing it with 1,200 tons of seawater.

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun also reported Wednesday that after the water release starts, the concentration of tritium in the seawater will be monitored regularly and data collected is expected to be released as early as on Sunday.

The treated water contains tritium, which is difficult to remove, even with Tepco's advanced liquid processing system. Tepco has said it will dilute the treated water by mixing it with a large amount of seawater to reduce the concentration to less than 1,500 becquerels per liter.

Large amounts of tritium can cause mutations, tumors and cell death, but experts say small amounts are not harmful to human health.

Park of the Office for Government Policy Coordination confirmed plans to conduct real-time monitoring of the water discharge in a daily briefing on Wednesday.

The Korean government said that if the water discharge proceeds as planned, the Japanese side will automatically disclose data measured by radiation monitors on a website every hour, sharing information with Korea.

The two countries also agreed to establish a "dual hotline" between their regulatory and diplomatic authorities to swiftly share information in case of an abnormal situation at the discharge facilities.

The government also introduced a real-time wireless marine radioactivity monitoring system developed by researchers at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS). It can be mounted on ships and directly measure radioactivity in seawater on-site.

Various civic and environmental groups, along with liberal lawmakers from the DP and minor Justice Party, are expressing strong opposition to the Japanese government's water release plan, with protests taking place in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul and across the nation after the release date was set Tuesday.

The DP also announced candlelight vigils at the National Assembly in western Seoul scheduled starting Wednesday, with rallies to protest the discharge expected to continue over the weekend at Gwanghwamun in central Seoul.

Greenpeace Korea issued a statement Tuesday strongly denouncing the "Japanese government's irresponsible announcement that could lead to irreversible disaster."

Some protesters have threatened to boycott Japanese products if it continues through with the water release, while groups of merchants at seafood markets across the country have also voiced concerns that marine produce sales may plummet.

Protesters stage a rally near the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul on Wednesday, urging Tokyo to cancel plans to discharge treated radioactive water into the sea starting Thursday. [NEWS1]

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