SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s government said on Friday it respected the U.N. nuclear energy watchdog’s review of Japan’s plan to discharge treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima plant into the ocean and said it met international standards.
Seoul announced its own assessment after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gave the greenlight this week to Japan’s plan, despite concerns over safety in some neighbouring countries.
“Based on a review of the treatment plan of contaminated water presented by Japan, we have confirmed concentration of radioactive material meets standards for ocean discharge … and therefore the plan meets international standards including those of the IAEA,” Bang Moon-kyu, Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, told a briefing.
Bang said South Korea respected the findings of the IAEA as the report was based on a task force of global experts set up by an established international agency.
The plan to discharge the treated water from the Fukushima plant is also expected to “not have any meaningful impact on our ocean areas,” Bang said.
(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Ed Davies)
