South Korea’s protests to US over Japan’s Fukushima waste water plan fall on deaf ears

Name: South Korea aims to fight Japan’s Fukushima decision in world tribunal
Uploaded: 2021-04-18T05:40:34.000Z
Duration: 2 min 47 s
Description: South Korea aims to fight Japan’s Fukushima decision in world tribunal

At a dinner with US climate envoy John Kerry, Seoul’s foreign minister sought to rally support behind South Korea’s opposition to the Fukushima plan

Japan has said it will discharge more than 1 million tonnes of water from the plant that was wrecked by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011

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South Korea aims to fight Japan’s Fukushima decision in world tribunal

Reutersin Seoul

Published: 1:40pm, 18 Apr 2021Updated: 1:40pm, 18 Apr 2021

South Korea raised concerns over Japan’s decision to release contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea with visiting US climate envoy John Kerry, its foreign ministry said, but Kerry reaffirmed Washington’s confidence in the plan’s transparency.

Kerry arrived in Seoul on Saturday to discuss international efforts to tackle global warming on a trip that included a stop in China ahead of President Joe Biden’s virtual summit with world leaders on climate change on April 22-23.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong sought to rally support behind the country’s protest against the Fukushima plan at a dinner meeting with Kerry, the ministry said. Under the plan, more than 1 million tonnes of water will be discharged from the plant wrecked by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 into the nearby sea off Japan’s east coast.

The crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Photo: Kyodo

Seoul strongly rebuked the decision, with the foreign ministry summoning the Japanese ambassador and President Moon Jae-in ordering officials to explore petitioning an international court.

“Minister Chung conveyed our government and people’s serious concerns about Japan’s decision, and asked the US side to take interest and cooperate so that Japan will provide information in a more transparent and speedy manner,” the ministry said in a statement.

But Kerry, at a media round table on Sunday, said Tokyo had made the decision in a transparent manner and will continue following due procedures.