Controversy Over Fukushima Seafood... Will the Democratic Party Visiting Japan Benefit or Suffer?

The Democratic Party of Korea is planning a protest visit regarding the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima and the import of seafood. As the government repeatedly gives only fundamental responses concerning the Fukushima contaminated water, raising public concerns, the party intends to directly visit the site to inspect the issue of Fukushima contaminated water discharge.

Recently, Japanese media reported that during his visit to Japan, President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared to show a favorable stance toward the marine discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and the import of seafood, increasing worries that seafood from Fukushima might be imported.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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After the Korea-Japan summit on the 16th of last month, Japanese media published articles stating that "Japan demanded the removal of restrictions on the import of seafood from Fukushima." On the 29th, Japan's Kyodo News cited sources familiar with Korea-Japan relations, reporting that on the second day of President Yoon's visit to Japan, the 17th of last month, he met with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and said regarding the contaminated water discharge issue, "We will seek the understanding of the Korean people even if it takes time."

As the controversy over the import of Fukushima seafood continued, the Presidential Office firmly stated that "there will be no import of Fukushima seafood." On the 2nd, the Presidential Office said, "We will absolutely not import Fukushima seafood," and added, "During the summit meetings, the President clearly stated three conditions to Japanese officials: objective and scientific methods, verification in accordance with international standards, and the participation of Korean experts in the process concerning Fukushima contaminated water."

However, criticism from opposition parties has emerged, accusing the government of repeating only fundamental answers. Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the Supreme Council meeting held in the main conference room of the Jeju 4.3 Memorial Hall that the issue of Fukushima contaminated water discharge is not a mere political dispute but directly related to the health and lives of the people. He pointed out, "It should not be limited to fundamental answers like 'we will not import.' A clear and explicit roadmap on how to prevent it is necessary."

The Democratic Party is also considering a plan to visit Fukushima from the 6th to the 8th for a 2-night, 3-day schedule to inspect Tokyo Electric Power Company and the area around the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Yang Yi-won-young, a member of the party's Task Force for Countermeasures Against the Marine Discharge of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water, explained two main reasons for the protest visit.

First, Yang pointed out that while the Japanese government announced that it might discharge Fukushima contaminated water as early as April, the government's response, including understanding the status of radioactive contaminated water, has been insufficient. On the 3rd, on YTN Radio's "News King with Park Ji-hoon," he said, "Since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is not actively responding, I think it is necessary for the National Assembly to directly go, request data on the status of radioactive contaminated water, understand the situation, and accurately convey the will of the people."

Yoon Jae-gap, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is shaving his head at a rally opposing the import of Fukushima seafood and condemning humiliating diplomacy toward Japan, held on the steps in front of the National Assembly main building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 30th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

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Secondly, he noted that if the discharge of Fukushima contaminated water is tolerated, the justification for banning the import of Fukushima seafood will also be lost. Earlier, the WTO (World Trade Organization) ruled in April 2019 that Korea's import ban was valid, considering Japan's special environmental circumstances that could affect food contamination. However, tolerating the discharge could weaken the rationale for seafood import restrictions.

Yang explained, "We filed a complaint with the WTO because among seafood caught in an area contaminated with 20 trillion becquerels, some seafood could be contaminated," adding, "Since it could affect the health of the people, the import ban was not considered a violation of free trade measures."

He continued, "But if we tolerate the discharge of radioactive contaminated water, it means we do not consider that level of contamination or that it is acceptable," and said, "Then people will ask, 'If that level of contamination is acceptable, why ban imports?' and the justification disappears. Discharging contaminated water is, in other words, another way of saying the import ban will be lifted."

The ruling party criticized the opposition's actions as "pro-Japanese." On the same day at the Supreme Council meeting, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "Although the Presidential Office has clearly denied several times that the Japanese media's fake news is not true, the Democratic Party is condemning the government based on fake news from Japan, even going so far as to hold a head-shaving protest."

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