Yoon Hee-seok "Inviting Experts on 1ℓ Contaminated Water Statement... Separating Emotion and Science"

People Power Party Spokesperson Explains Background of Inviting Professor Allison
"Meaningful in Itself if It Helps Alleviate Public Anxiety"

Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated on the 18th that inviting Wade Allison, Honorary Professor at the University of Oxford in the UK, to the party's 'Protecting Our Sea Verification Task Force (TF)' meeting on the 19th is "to hear from someone who can lend authority to scientific results." Spokesperson Yoon made this remark during an appearance on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon.'

The People Power Party's 'Protecting the Sea' TF plans to invite Honorary Professor Allison at 2 p.m. on the 19th to hear his opinions regarding the safety of Fukushima contaminated water.

Professor Allison, a leading scholar in the field of radiation, drew criticism from opposition parties after claiming at a meeting hosted by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute on the 15th that "if there were 1 liter of Fukushima contaminated water treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) in front of me, I could drink it," arguing that the risks of the contaminated water have been exaggerated.

Spokesperson Yoon said, "I understand there are criticisms asking why we are representing Japan's position," adding, "I think we need to separate the emotional entity called Japan, which strongly affects us, from the scientific analysis process."

Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party. [Photo by Yonhap News]

He continued, "This is part of efforts to properly convey objective verification results based on academic foundations to the public," adding, "If this can help alleviate public anxiety, that in itself is meaningful."

Regarding the 'Protecting the Sea' TF's criticism of rumors related to Fukushima nuclear plant contaminated water as a 'second mad cow disease incident,' Spokesperson Yoon explained, "During the mad cow disease incident, there was a lot of anxiety with the idea that 'if we import U.S. beef, mad cow disease will spread,' right? This is a similar situation, and the comparison is made because it would not help anyone if such a situation occurs again."

About the inspection team dispatched to Fukushima contaminated water on the 23rd and 24th, Spokesperson Yoon said, "The very fact that the inspection team is going means we want to quickly alleviate the public's anxiety and persuade the public with clear scientific and logical grounds."

Spokesperson Yoon added, "Japan calls it a briefing, but that is Japan's position only. It is correct for our experts to go and conduct scientific verification regarding the contaminated water treatment," adding, "We will test the water that has passed through ALPS. This is the significance of the inspection team's visit."

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