By Min Yea-Ji and Lee Jihae
The Ministry of Science and ICT on Sept. 16 warned of the dangers posed by the leak of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, urging Tokyo to take practical and transparent measures and cooperate with the international community to resolve this issue.
Vice Minister Moon Mi-Ock, in her keynote speech at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s 63rd general meeting in Vienna, Austria, said, “Issues surrounding the disposal of contaminated water from Fukushima remain unanswered, escalating fear and anxiety throughout the world.”
“High-level Japanese government officials recently started to say that marine discharges are inevitable for dealing with contaminated water from Fukushima.”
Calling the disposal of the radioactive water a “grave international issue that can affect the whole global marine environment,” she said cooperation among all IAEA member states is required.
Moon also emphasized the need for on-site surveys of Fukushima’s nuclear plants, the contaminated water’s status and its ecological impact, adding that such work must be carried out in an objective and scientific manner.
She also said setting standards and methods for disposing of the contaminated water will reassure the world of the water’s safety and not impose a burden on future generations.
“Japan should take substantive and transparent measures and actions. This should be done for protection of health, safety and environment,” she said.
jesimin@korea.kr