Presidential Office on IAEA Announcement: "People First... Request for Participation of Korean Experts"

Fukushima Contaminated Water IAEA Report Released... Government "Conducting Comprehensive Scientific and Technical Analysis"

The Presidential Office released a statement on the 6th regarding the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report investigating the Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water treatment process, stating that "the health and safety of the people of the Republic of Korea is the top priority." On the same day, the IAEA announced through its 4th report that it was able to confirm that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has a "sustainable radioactive material protection program" in place related to the contaminated water treatment process.

A senior official from the Presidential Office met with reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon and, when asked about the IAEA report and the Korean government's stance, said, "We have requested the participation of Korean experts regarding the Fukushima contaminated water and understand that they are currently involved in the verification process." He added, "Our government's judgment will be based on expert participation and objective verification of science and public safety, and there will be an opportunity to speak on this matter."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The IAEA report includes an evaluation of the contaminated water treatment process at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, scheduled to be discharged into the sea this year, stating that "the Japanese authorities' discharge monitoring system is reliable." However, regarding the Radiation Environmental Impact Assessment (REIA) that deals with the effects of contaminated water discharge, the report expressed the opinion that additional explanations are needed about the methodologies used for measuring radioactive material concentrations.

In response, the Korean government stated, "We will continue to operate a thorough management and control system to protect the safety of our seas and seafood." The Office for Government Policy Coordination explained, "Our government is conducting a comprehensive scientific and technical analysis of Japan's entire contaminated water marine discharge plan, centered on specialized institutions such as the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and the results will be disclosed later." It further stated, "According to the monitoring results of radiation in our coastal and nearby seas since 2011, the levels of marine environment and radioactive concentration in seafood in our waters are similar to those before the Fukushima nuclear accident."

Meanwhile, the IAEA Monitoring Task Force (TF) plans to conduct additional investigations, including a visit to Japan next month, and publish a comprehensive report containing conclusions on all aspects within this year.

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