South Korea changes its stand on Fukushima water release

Despite growing domestic opposition and protests, South Korea announced on Wednesday that it respects the endorsement by the UN atomic agency of Japan’s plan to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The Fukushima plant was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, and the release of accumulated water from the facility has been a long-term project that has now received approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

According to the IAEA, the release of the treated water would have minimal radiological impact on people and the environment.

However, the South Korean public strongly disapproves of the plan, with approximately 80% of respondents expressing concern in a recent survey.

Park Ku-yeon, South Korea’s first deputy chief of the policy coordination office, stated during a daily briefing that the government respects the decision of the IAEA, a globally authoritative body. He also mentioned that the government would provide its analysis of the IAEA’s final review once South Korea’s independent assessment is complete.

The recent survey by Gallup Korea revealed that 80% of respondents in South Korea expressed concern about the release, which has led to panic-buying of salt in the country due to fears of ocean pollution and contamination of salt sourced from seawater.

To stabilize the market, South Korea’s government is releasing up to 400 tons of sea salt from state reserves.

Public protests against the planned release, including demonstrations outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, have been a regular occurrence.

Despite Japan’s plan and the approval from the IAEA, concerns among the South Korean public remain high, and opposition to the release is expected to persist.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has made efforts to improve relations with Japan on historical issues related to forced labor, as he seeks closer regional security cooperation in response to the increasing nuclear threats posed by North Korea.

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