Hong Seok-jun: "Sample Collection Not an Important Issue for Fukushima Inspection Team"

Interview with Rep. Hong Seok-jun on SBS Radio
"The greatest significance is having seen the emergency response site"

Hong Seok-jun, a member of the People Power Party's Our Sea Protection Verification Task Force, evaluated the government inspection team's activities during their visit to the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, stating that "the most meaningful aspect was seeing firsthand how to respond in emergencies."

On the 1st, Representative Hong appeared on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and said, "The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), which was the main body of this inspection team centered around our country's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, has been continuously exchanging documents and consulting on how Japan is handling the ALPS system and the principles under which the treated water will be discharged into the sea," he said.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the inspection report from the inspection team, which did not include a final conclusion, Representative Hong said, "In yesterday's announcement, the inspection team requested additional data from Japan," adding, "For example, they asked for verification of the accuracy of certain data received from Japan, especially since the plant must operate for over 30 years, requesting additional information on measures to ensure reliability over long-term operation. Therefore, a comprehensive judgment is necessary."

He continued, "Regarding the Fukushima discharge, the final decision is not made by any specific country but by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria," and added, "The IAEA grants basic approval for such marine discharges and verifies the treated results to decide whether to proceed with the discharge."

In response to concerns that verification might be insufficient due to the absence of samples directly collected by our inspection team, he said, "One of our KINS researchers is already participating as a member of the IAEA international investigation team and has collected samples three times," emphasizing, "This time, whether samples were collected or not is not a critical issue."

Regarding concerns that imports of Fukushima seafood might resume after the contaminated water discharge, he stated, "The party and the government view the discharge and the import of seafood caught in waters around Fukushima as completely separate issues and plan to continue asserting this," stressing, "The import of Fukushima seafood will be strictly regulated independently of the discharge issue."

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