Gwangju Democratic Party Lawmakers Condemn Japan's Radioactive Wastewater Discharge

All members of the Democratic Party of Korea's metropolitan and local councilors in the Gwangju area condemned Japan's plan to discharge radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima and urged the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to take active measures.

On the 12th, a rally held in front of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council square was attended by a total of 79 people, including 22 Democratic Party Gwangju city councilors and 57 councilors from five district councils.

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Regarding the discharge of radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima, they demanded three things: ▲ immediate withdrawal of Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water and acceptance of participation from neighboring countries including South Korea in safety verification ▲ detailed disclosure of information related to Japan's radioactive contaminated water ▲ active response by the South Korean government in cooperation with the international community against the Japanese government and preparation of future damage prevention measures.

The councilors claimed, "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration not only broke the pride of the people with humiliating pro-Japanese diplomacy but also remains silent on the 'discharge of radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima,' seemingly giving up on the lives and safety of our people."

They continued, "We cannot trust Japan, which repeatedly claims that it is properly handling the contaminated water mixed with more than 60 radioactive substances far exceeding the standard levels without disclosing information. According to Japan's plan, radioactive contaminated water will be discharged into the sea starting this June, but President Yoon Suk-yeol has only made vague remarks about prioritizing the scientific and objective views of the International Atomic Energy Agency instead of demanding a halt to the discharge."

They added, "The government must not persist in cowardly silence in a situation where damage caused by radioactive substances will inevitably affect our people. This is a critical issue directly related to the health of future generations, the safety of the marine ecosystem, and the survival of the fisheries industry, and the government must respond actively."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Korea Gwangju Metropolitan City Party continues to carry out campaigns condemning the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's pro-Japanese submissive diplomacy, including the third-party compensation proposal for forced labor during the Japanese occupation, and opposing the discharge of radioactive contaminated water from Fukushima.

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