SEOUL – The South Korean government said Friday that Japan’s plan to release contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima plant would meet international standards, including those set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if carried out as planned.
South Korea announced its own scientific analysis of the discharge plan, based on the findings of an on-site inspection of the plant completed in late May and other related data, as well as an analysis of the IAEA safety review, reported Yonhap news agency.
According to a simulation based on an emission standard set by the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, the radiation impact on South Korean shores is estimated to be about one-100,000th of the current level.
The government further said that the technology of the plant’s custom purification system, known as ALPS, has gradually improved and stabilised, resulting in radionuclide levels within permissible limits since mid-2019.
Previously, the Seoul government had reported that six types of radionuclides were detected at levels exceeding permissible limits even after treatment through ALPS, but most of these cases occurred before 2019.
As ocean currents disperse the contaminated water, radioactive materials will become nearly undetectable on South Korean shores, the government said, emphasising that the concentration level will remain within the acceptable limit.
Notably, the concentration level of tritium, a hydrogen radioisotope known to still be detected after treatment through ALPS, would also be within the limit as the seawater would dilute it sufficiently.
“The review was carried out under the premise that Tokyo Electric Power’s discharge plan is carried out as planned,” South Korean Policy Coordination Minister Bang Moon Kyu told a daily briefing.
The country also emphasised its respect for the outcome of the IAEA’s safety review of Japan’s plan.
On Tuesday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog announced that its two-year review found Japan’s plan to release water from the plant into the sea to be consistent with its safety standards. The agency also stated that the treated water would have a negligible radiological impact on both people and the environment.
This announcement coincides with IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s visit to South Korea later in the day for a three-day trip, following his ongoing four-day trip to Japan.
In response to heightened public concern, Seoul launched a daily press briefing last month to keep the public updated on the planned release of contaminated water from the plant, which suffered severe damage due to a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. – Bernama, July 7, 2023
