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| ▲ Members of the main opposition Democratic Party's task force on Japan's plan to release radioactive water from the crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima talk to reporters after making a visit to the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul on April 5, 2023. (Yonhap) |
DP-Fukushima water release
Main opposition urges Japan to suspend Fukushima water discharge
SEOUL, April 5 (Yonhap) -- A group of lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) visited the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday and urged Tokyo to suspend its plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea until neighboring countries approve of the idea.
The DP's task force on the Fukushima water release plan made the request in a meeting with Daisuke Namioka, minister of economic affairs at the Japanese Embassy, on the eve of their planned visit to Japan in connection with the matter.
Five lawmakers from the task force plan to travel to Fukushima for three days starting Thursday to assess the circumstances surrounding the water release and request information on the release plan.
In Wednesday's meeting, the task force also delivered a statement calling on Japan to make sure that the safety of the people of South Korea and Japan is the top priority in the process of handling the contaminated water and refrain from asking South Korea to lift its import ban on Fukushima seafood until the seafood's safety is confirmed.
According to Rep. Yang Yi-wonyoung of the task force, Namioka said the Japanese government is providing enough information to the South Korean government regarding the matter, and will provide more if Seoul thinks it is insufficient.
Rep. Wi Seong-gon said the task force has asked the Japanese diplomat to arrange a meeting with the Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the crippled power plant, during the lawmakers' visit to Fukushima, as the company has rejected such requests until now.
Wi also called on the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol to clarify its position on the matter rather than denouncing the DP's plan to visit Fukushima.
The DP has raised suspicions Yoon could have talked about resuming seafood imports from the region when he held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo last month, after Japanese news reports said the issue came up during the talks.
Yoon's office has rejected such suspicions, saying Fukushima seafood will not come into South Korea.
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