"Marine Discharge Is an 'Imjin War' Invasion... Must Rise Like Uibyeong" Oh Gyuseok, Gijang County Governor, Leads Protest at Japanese Consulate #1

One-Person Protest Demanding Withdrawal of Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Discharge After 14 Days

Cancellation of Gijang Festival and Fundraising Campaign Following 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

County Governor Oh: “Gijang Also Has Nuclear

On April 14, Oh Gyu-seok, the governor of Gijang County, held a solo protest in front of the Japanese Consulate in Dong-gu, Busan. Governor Oh delivered a statement to the Japanese Consulate urging the withdrawal of the decision to discharge contaminated water into the ocean. [Image source=Gijang County Office]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “This is the second Imjin War. The entire nation must become righteous armies and fight to the death.”

On the 14th at noon, Oh Gyu-seok, mayor of Busan’s Gijang County, rushed to the front of the Japanese Consulate in Dong-gu, Busan, with a face full of ‘great anger (Dano).’

Although symbolic, by comparing it to the Imjin War of the Joseon Dynasty, Mayor Oh views the Japanese government’s discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as an ‘invasion’ against Korea.

On that day, Mayor Oh held a one-person protest urging the withdrawal of the ocean discharge in front of the Japanese Consulate. He also directly delivered a statement to the consulate officials.

There is another reason why Mayor Oh was extremely angry.

Ten years ago, Mayor Oh thought he shared the pain with the Japanese people by canceling even the county festival and leading fundraising efforts for Japan, which suffered the Fukushima accident.

Despite being criticized by some local residents and citizens, the Japanese government’s unilateral decision felt like a betrayal to him, who stood firm on his convictions.

Mayor Oh explained the background of the sudden cancellation of the nationally renowned spring Gijang Anchovy Festival and Seaweed and Kelp Festival at the time, saying, “I was worried that the sound of festive music might reach Japan, which was suffering from the great earthquake and tsunami.”

At that time, Mayor Oh had to endure backlash from many merchants and residents who said they lost income opportunities and entertainment.

In 2011, during the accident, Mayor Oh also led a fundraising campaign to help Japanese disaster victims. He donated one month’s salary, and residents, institutions, and organizations contributed to raise 50 million won, which was sent to the affected areas.

He also sent about 1 ton worth 100 million won of ‘Gijang Miyeok’ (Gijang seaweed), a local specialty known for its health benefits, to Japan.

As the head of a local government with a nuclear power plant, Mayor Oh likely felt a strong sense of ‘shared suffering.’

However, on the 14th, at the one-person protest in front of the Japanese Consulate, Oh Gyu-seok became a completely different person.

Mayor Oh strongly criticized, “The Japanese government must immediately withdraw its decision to discharge radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima into the ocean,” adding, “This act destroys the marine ecosystem, threatens food safety, and clearly infringes upon the life rights of the Korean people.”

He also argued, “The radioactive contaminated water contains large amounts of radioactive substances exceeding environmental discharge standards. If discharged into the sea without ensuring procedural transparency and safety, it cannot guarantee marine safety not only for our country but for the entire world.”

Mayor Oh plans to hold another one-person protest with a picket on the 19th, this time in front of the Japanese Embassy, to shout at the Japanese government.

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