Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Seoul today during the visit of Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to South Korea. This visit aims to address concerns regarding Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive water from the tsunami-stricken Fukushima plant. Grossi arrived in the Korean capital yesterday for a three-day visit, after concluding his trip to Japan, to meet with the Korean Foreign Minister and a senior nuclear safety official.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Park Jin conveyed to Grossi that Seoul's unchanged position is that contaminated water must be verified as safe and treated in accordance with laws and international standards. The statement also noted that Park requested the agency's assistance in ensuring the water's safety and reassuring citizens.
The South Korean government expressed agreement with the agency's report, adding that its own analysis found that the water discharge would have "no significant impact" on its waters. Despite this, hundreds, including children and members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, took to the streets today to protest Japan's water discharge plan, with some holding banners and blue balloons shaped like whales.
