Presidential Office: "Regarding the Treated Water Issue in Korea-Japan Summit... Yoon Will Emphasize Public Health as Top Priority"

Coordinating South Korea-Japan Summit During NATO Summit
Japanese Media: "Kishida Directly Explained to Yoon"
Presidential Office: "Upholding Principle of Prioritizing Citizens"

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are coordinating a summit meeting next week on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. It is expected that Prime Minister Kishida will directly explain Japan’s stance on the release of contaminated water to President Yoon, who is likely to convey a policy prioritizing the safety of the Korean people.

Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, announced President Yoon’s NATO summit schedule on the afternoon of the 6th at the Yongsan Presidential Office, stating, "We are currently coordinating with Japan to hold a Korea-Japan summit during this period." If the summit is realized, the two leaders will meet again two months after the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, last May. However, the main issue at this meeting is expected to be the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant contaminated water discharge problem.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Japanese local media, Prime Minister Kishida is expected to directly explain the process and safety of the contaminated water discharge to President Yoon. The Mainichi Shimbun reported, "Prime Minister Kishida plans to explain this to President Yoon and seek understanding," adding, "There is considerable opposition in Korea to the ocean discharge, so there is keen interest in how President Yoon will respond."

The Presidential Office is also closely monitoring the possibility that the Fukushima contaminated water discharge issue will arise if the Korea-Japan summit takes place. A Presidential Office official said, "However, the Japanese Prime Minister has stated that he will promote measures to ensure the health and safety of the Japanese people, build trust with neighboring countries, and address concerns," adding, "If Japan mentions this, our President will adhere to the principle of prioritizing the health of our people and will make necessary remarks accordingly."

The Japanese government, which has passed the final verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), plans to discharge the contaminated water around this summer. However, various variables such as weather conditions and local elections in the Tohoku region are looming, causing differing opinions on the exact timing of the discharge. Local media such as the Nihon Keizai Shimbun anticipate the discharge to occur in August or September.

The Korean government’s independent verification report on Japan’s Fukushima contaminated water will be released on the 7th. This comes three days after the IAEA gave a "conformity judgment" on the contaminated water discharge plan on the 4th. At present, it is highly likely that the analysis results will be similar to those of the IAEA’s verification. Meanwhile, the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) will issue a certificate of completion for Tokyo Electric Power Company’s discharge facilities on the 7th, effectively starting the countdown to the contaminated water discharge.

The Korean government began scrutinizing Japan’s Fukushima contaminated water discharge plan in August 2021. After conducting its own scientific and technical review, an agreement was reached to dispatch a Korean nuclear power inspection team during the Korea-Japan summit on May 7. On May 22, 21 experts conducted a five-night, six-day inspection of the nuclear power plant site and key equipment. Chairman Yoo also led the inspection team on-site.

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