Gu Yun-cheol "Actively Responding to Environmental Risks of Fukushima Nuclear Plant Contaminated Water"

Inter-Ministerial Director-Level Task Force Elevated to Vice Minister Level... Strengthening Response System

Koo Yoon-chul, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Koo Yoon-cheol, Minister for Government Policy Coordination, said on the 8th, "We will prioritize the health and safety of the public and actively respond at the whole-of-government level to minimize the environmental risks that the Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water may pose."

On the same day, Minister Koo held the 'Vice Ministerial Meeting on Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water' at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "We will strengthen the government response system by upgrading the task force (TF) of director-level officials from related ministries, which has been operated under the supervision of the Ministry for Government Policy Coordination, to the vice ministerial level."

At the meeting, the government shared recent developments such as the Japanese government's 7th public hearing and related trends in the international community including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It also reviewed whole-of-government response measures for Japan’s decision on the disposal plan of Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water, including demands for transparent information disclosure from Japan and consultations with the international community including Korea.

Since August 2018, when the Japanese government was identified to be considering the discharge of Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water, the government has continuously discussed whole-of-government response measures centered on the related ministries’ TF.

Recently, through a keynote speech at the IAEA General Conference, the government emphasized the need for sufficient review of the mid- to long-term environmental risks of the marine discharge of Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water and the necessity of cooperation with the international community.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.