Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special Mayor, "Citizen Food Safety is the Top Priority"

Orders to Address Reduced Seafood Consumption in Preparation for Fukushima Nuclear Plant Contaminated Water Discharge into the Ocean

"The decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan into the ocean is causing a crisis in the fisheries industry."

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, urged at the executive meeting on the 16th to prioritize citizens' food safety and to prevent a decrease in seafood consumption among fisheries workers and small business owners such as fish market vendors.

At the meeting, emphasis was placed on citizens' food safety and the reduction in seafood consumption, calling for measures to respond to the contraction in seafood consumption. The ongoing government investigations into marine radioactivity in seawater (52 locations by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, 40 locations by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission) and seafood radioactivity inspections (once a week for coastal seafood, twice a week for distant-water seafood) were mentioned, along with the city’s implementation of radioactivity inspections on locally produced seafood at least twice a month.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam.

Since March, the city has been publishing weekly results of radioactivity tests conducted by various agencies (Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, National Fishery Products Quality Management Service, Gyeongnam Province Seafood Safety Management Center, etc.) on its website.

The city has provided simple radioactivity measuring devices to four fisheries cooperatives involved in seafood auctioning (Masan Fisheries Cooperative, Jinhae Fisheries Cooperative, Pukyong New Port Fisheries Cooperative, Anchovy Purse Seine Fisheries Cooperative) to enable radioactivity testing of seafood before auction and distribution. Additional support will be provided if necessary. Starting in July, the city plans to lend radioactivity measuring equipment to consumers to help alleviate their concerns.

Although the National Fishery Products Quality Management Service conducts radioactivity inspections on all fish species at least once a week, the city will strengthen detailed inspections of seafood produced locally at least twice a month during the production stage. Radioactivity inspections will also be conducted at least once a month during the distribution stage.

In anticipation of a decline in seafood consumption sentiment, the city will hold seafood promotion events in cooperation with local fisheries cooperatives. Additionally, special inspections on the origin labeling of Japanese seafood will be intensified, and an honorary monitoring system for origin labeling will be operated to promote safe and healthy seafood and prevent a contraction in consumption.

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