<기사제목>MOF "Monitoring Japanese Nuclear Plant Contaminated Water... Strengthening Origin Inspection of Seafood" (Comprehensive)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] Park Junyoung, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, stated on the 13th regarding the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, "We plan to take all necessary measures focusing on marine environment protection and seafood safety management."

Vice Minister Park held an emergency press briefing in the afternoon and said, "The government will not compromise on any measures that could harm the health of the people and will prioritize the safety of the public above all else."

On the same day in the morning, the Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting the "Basic Policy on the Disposal of Treated Water," which includes a plan to discharge contaminated water stored in tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean until as late as 2051.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that it will strengthen monitoring of radioactive substances and other contaminants entering the ocean and focus on seafood safety management. In particular, it plans to expand radiation inspections on seafood produced in waters where contaminated water could enter, strengthen distribution history management of imported Japanese seafood, and tighten origin control.

First, a dense monitoring network for radioactive substances will be established along the entire national coastal waters to closely monitor the inflow of radioactive materials such as tritium and cesium from nuclear power plant contaminated water into domestic waters. The Ministry expanded the number of harbor survey points by adding seven last year, totaling 39 locations. This year, the annual survey frequency at 13 key points in the East Sea, South Sea, and Jeju will increase from four to six times to proactively investigate changes in our marine environment before and after the ocean discharge.

Additionally, radiation inspections on ship ballast water will continue, and ships calling at Japanese ports within the contaminated water influence zone will be closely managed. The Ministry currently inspects radiation in ballast water of all ships entering Korea that have taken on ballast water in Fukushima Prefecture, the nuclear accident area, and neighboring Miyagi Prefecture. It also plans to advance predictions regarding whether radioactive substances from nuclear contaminated water enter domestic waters, the timing of inflow, and concentration levels.

Vice Minister Park said, "If the ocean discharge actually takes place, we will urge domestic and foreign ships to refrain from calling at 17 ports in six prefectures including Fukushima Prefecture as much as possible," adding, "In unavoidable cases, detailed measures will be implemented requiring ships to exchange ballast water outside Korean territorial waters before entering."

Furthermore, cooperation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea Coast Guard, and local governments will be strengthened to ensure seafood safety. For domestically produced seafood, radiation inspections on about 40 species including saury and seaweed will be conducted more thoroughly according to the recently enhanced inspection methods of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Radiation inspections will also be expanded on seafood produced in waters potentially affected by contaminated water discharge and on seafood from distant waters.

In addition, distribution history management and origin control of imported seafood, including Japanese products, will be strengthened. Especially, items with a history of origin violations and seafood with high consumer sensitivity will be designated as key items. Year-round focused inspections will be conducted targeting importers, distributors, and retailers including restaurants handling Japanese imported seafood, and strong penalties will be imposed for violations.

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