Amid concerns about Japan’s forthcoming release of treated nuclear wastewater from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, a multitude of South Koreans took to the streets of their capital on Saturday. Demonstrators demanded that Tokyo discard the proposed discharge scheme and expressed frustration towards Seoul for endorsing the plan despite alleged risks to food safety.
This recent rally marks the continuation of several weeks of protests that emerged after the International Atomic Energy Agency sanctioned the Japanese release strategy in July. The agency asserted that the process would align with international safety protocols and present minimal environmental and health consequences.
The South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, has also advocated for the safety of the wastewater release plans. In recent months, his administration has actively worked to mend strained relations with the United States, their ally, especially in the context of escalating nuclear threats from North Korea.
Although the Japanese government announced that the wastewater release would commence this summer, no specific date has been confirmed.
Clad in raincoats and clutching signs proclaiming messages like, “We reject Fukushima’s contaminated water disposal” and “No level of radioactive material is suitable for the ocean,” the protestors marched through the streets of downtown Seoul amidst a light drizzle. These demonstrations have remained peaceful so far, with no immediate reports of clashes or injuries.
To allay concerns regarding food safety and environmental risks tied to the release of Fukushima’s wastewater, South Korea has undertaken various measures, such as expanded radiation testing on seafood in major fish markets and even analyzing sand from southern and western beaches. Thus far, none of these tests have raised safety apprehensions, as stated by Jeon Jae-woo, an official from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The safety of Fukushima’s wastewater has long been a delicate subject between these U.S. allies. In recent months, South Korea and Japan have been striving to mend their relationship, which has been strained by historical conflicts, in order to address shared concerns like North Korea’s nuclear threats and China’s assertive foreign policies.
Following a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that wrecked the Fukushima plant’s cooling systems, three reactors melted down, leading to contamination of their cooling water.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, the plant’s operator, has been gathering, filtering, and storing the water in numerous tanks, which are expected to reach full capacity in early 2024.
Japan initially unveiled its plan to release treated water into the sea in 2018, asserting that the water would undergo further dilution with seawater before being released through a closely monitored process anticipated to extend over decades.
The water is being treated using an Advanced Liquid Processing System, aimed at reducing the levels of more than 60 selected radionuclides to releasable levels—excluding tritium, which officials claim is safe for human consumption in small quantities.
Junichi Matsumoto, the corporate officer responsible for treated water management at TEPCO, pledged in a recent press conference to meticulously sample and analyze the water to ensure its secure release in compliance with IAEA standards.
