S. Korea expresses 'strong regret' over Japan's decision to release water from Fukushima

All News 11:13 April 13, 2021

SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday expressed strong regret over Japan's decision to release contaminated water into the sea from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Tokyo announced earlier in the day that it plans to start releasing massive amounts of radioactive water, which has been stored in tanks at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, in two years.

South Korean civic activists stage a protest against the Japanese government's decision to discharge radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean during a news conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on April 13, 2021. (Yonhap)

Koo Yoon-cheol, head of South Korea's Office for Government Policy Coordination, gathered an emergency vice-ministerial meeting at 10 a.m. at the Seoul government complex to discuss Seoul's position and measures on Japan's announcement.

"The government expresses strong regret over the Japanese government's decision to release contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean," Koo said during a press conference held after the meeting.

He added that the government will take every necessary measures in line with the principle of keeping the South Korean people safe from the contaminated water from the Fukushima plant.