Yeo Seong-iljong: "Discharge of Contaminated Water? Just Continuing Moon Government's Policy"

"Attack Without Scientific Data, The Second Mad Cow Disease"
MBC Radio Kim Jong-bae's Focused Interview

Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party and chairman of the 'Protect Our Sea Verification Task Force (TF),' on the 26th rebutted the opposition party criticizing the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima, saying, "Attacking this without scientific data is the Democratic Party of Korea's wishful thinking, hoping for another second mad cow disease or THAAD rumor."

Seong appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the same day and said, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration increased the number of fish species tested to 800 and also increased the number of sampling points for seawater by ship," adding, "We are trying to protect public health more thoroughly and meticulously."

Regarding the opposition's offensive on the safety of the contaminated water, he responded, "There is no scientific evidence at all," and said, "Nuclear issues belong to the realm of science, not politics."

Seong pointed out, "What underlies the current contaminated water issue is anti-Japanese sentiment and fear of nuclear power," adding, "If the Democratic Party really cared about the people, they should discuss which radionuclides were detected, how much the standard limits were exceeded, and what international legal issues exist based on evidence and scientific data, but they are only inciting fear. This is by no means desirable."

Seong Il-jong, member of the People Power Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He also claimed that the current government's and People Power Party's stance on the discharge of contaminated water follows the policy line of the previous Moon Jae-in administration. Seong said, "The Moon Jae-in government was completely passive regarding Fukushima's contaminated water," adding, "In October 2020, when I was a member of the emergency committee, we strongly stated that discharging contaminated water as is would be a big problem, and that it should not be released. Our party strongly urged for countermeasures and members even submitted a resolution."

He continued, "After that, the Moon Jae-in government began to take action, dispatching Dr. Kim Hong-seok from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in July 2021," and said, "In August of the same year, a TF team was formed under the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and operated; the members of that TF team are almost all the same people who went on the recent inspection mission and were appointed by the Moon Jae-in government."

Seong said, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said, 'Japan is a sovereign country, so we cannot arbitrarily interfere with what happens within the territory of a sovereign nation,' and Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong also said, 'If it meets the IAEA standards scientifically and under international law, we cannot refuse to agree.'"

He added, "We have not gone ahead of them. There has been no further progress beyond the official stance and policy line of the Moon Jae-in government under former Ministers Kang and Chung," and asked, "When have we ever supported the discharge of contaminated water?"

When the host asked, "Are you saying that the current People Power Party's position is based on the policy line of the Moon Jae-in government?" he replied, "Yes." Seong said, "If there is a scientific or international legal problem based on the standards, raise it. But the Democratic Party's current strategy is to portray the People Power Party as if we are representing the Japanese government."

Regarding the recent Democratic Party's sending of a joint response letter to Pacific island countries about the Fukushima contaminated water discharge, he dismissed it as a "political act." Seong said, "There are areas where the state must act and areas where the opposition should assist," adding, "Is it really appropriate for a political party to engage in such actions without any scientific basis or data?"

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