Civic Group: "Stop Japan's Contaminated Water Discharge, Abandon Forced Mobilization Solution"

Civil society groups are protesting against Japan's discharge of radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima and the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's solution to forced labor issues.

On the 22nd, the Korea-Japan Historical Justice and Peace Action and the South Korean Committee for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration announced that they will jointly hold a citizen march at 2 p.m. at Cheonggye Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, to address these issues.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The march will proceed following remarks by Joo Je-jun, co-chairman of the Korea-Japan Historical Justice and Peace Action, Lee Guk-eon, chairman of the Forced Labor Citizens' Association, and Ahn Jae-hoon, director of activities at the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements. The march will start at the Cheonggye Plaza Conch Tower, pass through Gwanghwamun Square and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and continue to the Japanese Embassy.

The Korea-Japan Historical Justice and Peace Action stated, "Japan's discharge of radioactive contaminated water is imminent, but the Yoon administration has yet to present proper responses and measures," adding, "In fact, President Yoon was asked for understanding and cooperation regarding the contaminated water discharge by Prime Minister Kishida during last month's Korea-Japan summit," explaining the reason for holding the citizen march.

The controversy over the Fukushima contaminated water discharge arose after Japan's Kyodo News reported that during last month's Korea-Japan summit, President Yoon said he would "seek the understanding of the Korean people even if it takes time" regarding the discharge. The Yoon administration denied such remarks, stating that "the health and safety of the people are the top priority," but the controversy did not subside.

The Korea-Japan Historical Justice and Peace Action also plans to criticize the Yoon administration's 'third-party compensation method' for forced labor victim reparations, saying it "forces victims to accept court-ordered payments."

The government announced on the 13th that among 15 forced labor victims (including 3 survivors), the families of 10 have agreed to third-party compensation paid by the Forced Labor Victims Support Foundation under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

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