Seongdong-gu Seafood Radioactivity Inspection Conducted

Seongdong-gu Launches Joint Public-Private Special Inspection on Seafood Origin Labeling Upon Resident Request to Alleviate Community Concerns

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) will conduct radiation tests on seafood handled by distribution companies and restaurants starting from the 7th of this month to ensure the safety of residents' food following Japan's discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The district will carry out thorough radiation inspections on seafood through two methods: regular inspections and ad-hoc inspections. Regular inspections target about 40 medium to large distribution companies such as supermarkets that mainly handle seafood consumed at home, selecting stores for inspection each month. At least one radiation test on seafood distributed until the end of the year will be conducted, allowing residents to consume seafood with confidence.

Ad-hoc inspections are conducted when residents request radiation tests on seafood at specific restaurants such as sashimi or sushi establishments. Applications can be made through the Seongdong-gu Office website, and upon receipt, the Seongdong-gu Public Health Center collection team will visit the target business to collect seafood samples for radiation testing at a specialized institution.

Radiation tests are outsourced to institutions certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and results take about six days. The test results will be disclosed on the Seongdong-gu Office website. Seongdong-gu plans to provide various information not only on test results but also on government agency guidance related to radiation and the operation status of seafood radiation inspections. Additionally, to facilitate easy verification of test results, QR codes will be introduced, and promotional materials will be distributed to seafood food service establishments.

If any abnormalities are found in the radiation test results, Seongdong-gu will coordinate with Seoul city and related agencies to devise countermeasures. If necessary, all affected seafood will be recalled, and distribution will be blocked as much as possible to protect residents' safety.

Furthermore, a public-private joint inspection team will be formed to conduct special inspections on seafood origin labeling, ensuring strict management of origin labeling. The district plans to take action according to relevant laws against cases of missing or false origin labeling based on inspection results.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “It is true that residents are anxious about seafood consumption due to Japan's discharge of contaminated water from the nuclear power plant. Seongdong-gu will establish a reliable inspection system and work to alleviate residents' concerns about seafood distribution by jointly inspecting origin labeling with public and private sectors.”

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