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| ▲ Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks at an emergency roundtable discussion on Tokyo's planned release of the Fukushima waste water at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 1, 2023. (Yonhap) |
DP leader-Fukushima
DP leader accuses gov't of playing helper's role for Japan's Fukushima release plan
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung on Thursday accused the government's Fukushima inspection team of playing the role of a "helper" for Japan's planned release of contaminated water from the crippled nuclear power plant.
Lee made the remark a day after the team of government scientists held a press briefing on their inspection visit to Fukushima aimed at checking if waste water from the power plant can be treated to be safe enough to be released into the ocean.
The DP has been critical of the inspection, which was agreed upon during a summit last month between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, arguing it would end up being merely a formality insufficient to verify the safety of the discharge process.
Lee renewed such criticism Thursday, accusing the government of helping justify Japan's release plan.
"It is none other than the government of the Republic of Korea that is playing the role of a helper for Japan's environmental destruction and its acts of threatening lives," he said during a roundtable discussion with experts and merchant groups.
The DP leader also said his party will consider opening a parliamentary hearing on the inspection and push again to adopt a resolution opposing Tokyo's release plan.
Separately, Rep. Song Ki-hun, a deputy floor leader of the DP, said his party will form a special committee on the issue and hold a parliamentary hearing.
"I believe the ruling party won't oppose a hearing aimed at dispelling concerns of the people," he said.
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