Alternatives for Fukushima wastewater disposal needed if concerns remain: Nat'l Assembly speaker

▲ National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo speaks at a press conference to mark his first year in office at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 4, 2023.

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Alternatives for Fukushima wastewater disposal needed if concerns remain: Nat'l Assembly speaker

SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- The international community should take its time and consider alternatives to dumping the Fukushima wastewater into the ocean, if a safety review from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) doesn't alleviate people's concerns, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said Tuesday.

Kim made the suggestion in a press conference to mark his first year in office as South Korea awaits a report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog on the safety of Tokyo's plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.

"Even if the safety of the wastewater discharge plan is ensured, we can explore other various methods, such as releasing the water for a certain period of time, verifying the results and providing feedback," Kim said in the press conference.

Kim also called on the government to use people's concerns and objections from opposition parties as leverage to persuade Japan, noting that about 80 percent of South Koreans are concerned about the planned discharge.

Additionally, Kim said he will step up efforts to increase parliamentary exchanges with China and the United States this year, noting he plans to visit the two countries in the latter half of the year.

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