Ministry of Foreign Affairs Initiates Public Discussion on Fukushima Contaminated Water in Pacific Coastal Countries

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] As Japan has decided to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, the government has begun forming opposition opinions centered on Pacific coastal countries. This appears to be aimed at raising international awareness of Japan's unilateral actions, considering that judicial measures are realistically difficult.

On the 22nd (local time), Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Foreign Minister, adopted a joint statement based on a shared recognition of the risks of discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant at the Korea-Central America 8 countries (SICA) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Costa Rica.

SICA is a regional organization launched in 1991 aiming for integration and development in the Central American region, with members including Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua.

This joint statement is the first high-level multilateral meeting outcome led by Korea to express international concerns and urge joint responses. At this meeting, Korea and SICA member countries expressed concerns about the contaminated water discharge, adopted the joint statement, and emphasized the need for the international community's joint response to marine pollution in the Pacific region.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "It is significant that non-Asian countries sharing the Pacific as a common sea immediately voiced a unified opinion against unilateral marine pollution acts without consultation with neighboring countries."

This move follows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' policy to pursue multilateral diplomacy through international organizations to resolve the contaminated water issue. In a status report submitted last week to the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the Ministry announced plans to publicize the contaminated water issue using multilateral diplomacy through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), and others.

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong stated, "Judicial responses will also be considered if necessary," and President Moon Jae-in also instructed to review filing a case with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. However, experts point out that judicial resolution is practically difficult. Shin Beom-cheol, head of the Foreign and Security Center at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, said, "President Moon's instruction to review legal measures is effective in blocking Japan's further actions," but added, "Due to difficulties in proving damages, legal resolution will not be easy."

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