S. Korea raises concerns over Japan's plan to release contaminated water

SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday renewed its concerns about Japan's plan to release contaminated water from its disabled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.

South Korea's Office for Government Policy Coordination said Japan should ensure that its plan does not affect the health and safety of South Koreans or the maritime ecosystem.

South Korea's latest move came two days after Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of the ruined nuclear power plant, came up with a plan to release the contaminated water over 30 years.

An estimated 1.1 million tons of tainted water is in temporary storage at the Fukushima plant, which was devastated by a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in 2011.

Last October, South Korea urged Japan to make efforts to win consensus from neighboring countries on handling the water at a meeting of the Britain-based International Maritime Organization.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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