Namhae-gun, Fully Committed to Minimizing Damage to Residents and Fishermen in Preparation for Fukushima Nuclear Plant Contaminated Water

Discussion on Joint Public-Private Response Measures for Ocean Discharge

Expansion of Reporting Scope for Seafood Distribution History

Namhae-gun, Gyeongnam Province, held the ‘Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Ocean Discharge Civil-Government Joint Response Measures Council’ on the 28th to discuss related countermeasures.

At the council meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Ryu Hae-seok, the government and Gyeongsangnam-do shared their response status, and Namhae-gun’s own response plan was explained.

On the 28th, Namhae-gun, Gyeongnam held the 'Civil-Government Joint Response Council for Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Ocean Discharge' to discuss related measures.

Following the special instructions from the county governor, Namhae-gun established a contaminated water response plan and formed a joint countermeasure team. The meeting was held with the deputy governor as the head, centered on the general team leader (Director of the Marine Environment Bureau), consisting of a total of 4 teams, 7 departments, 12 teams, and 4 related organizations.

To build a dense and systematic safety monitoring network, Namhae-gun proposed to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission to add additional marine radioactive substance investigation points in the province’s waters, expanding from the existing 5 locations to 8 locations starting this year. Additionally, they are currently proposing to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to add Gangjin Bay in Namhae-gun as a marine radiation investigation point.

Furthermore, distribution management of imported seafood has been significantly strengthened. Since January this year, the number of imported seafood items subject to distribution history reporting has expanded from 17 to 21 species. Also, the items requiring origin labeling in restaurants will increase from the existing 15 species to 20 species starting this July, adding scallops, sea squirts, abalone, yellowtail, and flatfish.

Currently, imports of seafood from Fukushima and seven other neighboring prefectures in Japan are completely banned.

Along with this, Namhae-gun conducts origin labeling guidance and inspections once a month at traditional markets, local marts, and restaurants to ensure the safety of seafood distribution. Especially from May to June, inspections focusing on Japanese imported seafood are conducted more than once a week.

As a measure to strengthen radiation inspection of seafood at the shipment stage, Namhae-gun is carrying out a project to support portable radiation measuring equipment at the seafood auction market of Namhae-gun Fisheries Cooperative.

To promote seafood consumption, from the 22nd to the 25th, a four-day event was held at the traditional market in Namhae-eup, refunding up to 30% of the purchase amount of domestic seafood in Onnuri gift certificates. This event recorded 2,029 cases, sales of 150 million KRW, and refunded a total of 38 million KRW.

As a county-funded independent project, Namhae-gun Fisheries Cooperative is conducting a win-win discount support project, and plans to hold a consumption promotion event as part of the seafood win-win discount support project, which includes national and provincial funds, to respond to seafood consumption contraction from July to August.

Deputy Governor Ryu said, “Namhae-gun will prepare separate response measures according to government policies, and if damage to the fisheries industry becomes a reality, we will continuously strive to minimize the damage to Namhae residents and local fishers by proposing government purchase of seafood.”

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