“Fukushima contaminated water discharge one year later… Some say, ‘Hey, apologize for spreading groundless rumors.’ Others argue, ‘Exploiting public fears through rumor politics.'”

Released for the first time on August 24th last year, 8th discharge as of now… Total of 55,000 tons
“Damage to fishermen and merchants due to rumor politics… Who will compensate?”
“Just trusting Japan’s claim of safety is a negligent attitude”,

[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Kim Geum-bo = Environmental activists from the Environmental Movement Union carry a banner urging to stop ocean dumping of contaminated water across from the Japanese embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul on August 21, the first anniversary of the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. A Japanese flag is visible behind the banner. 2024.08.21. kgb@newsis.com,
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, ‘[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Kim Kyung-rok = A year after the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant on August 24 last year, the evaluations from the ruling and opposition parties on the 22nd sharply differed. The main opposition People Power Party stated that a year has passed since the release of the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s “treatment water,” and that the issues raised at that time did not occur, urging the opposition to apologize for the “rumor politics.” On the other hand, the opposition criticized the leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, for blindly believing the Japanese government and claiming safety just after one year, calling it a negligent attitude.’,
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, ‘Han Dong-hoon, the party leader, said at the morning’s top committee meeting, “It has been about a year since the release of the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s treatment water,” adding, “If any of the statements made by the Democratic Party around that time and after have been realized, our seas should be contaminated right now, the fisheries industry should be barren, and public health should be threatened.”‘,
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, ‘He continued, “However, nothing that the Democratic Party said at that time has been realized,” and asked, “What position has the Democratic Party taken on that kind of rumor now?” referring to the “Cheongdam-dong Drinking Party Suspicion” that was brought up by the Democratic Party in the past but turned out to be untrue. He emphasized, “Such rumor politics must be ended. Effective measures must be developed.”‘,
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, ‘Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, also said, “Rumors and incitement cannot defeat science, confirmed by the past year.” He pointed out, “Who should compensate the fishermen and merchants who have suffered and the considerable amount of taxpayer money that has been invested. While the Democratic Party, shamelessly, enjoys delicious seafood every day without apology or reflection on the contaminated water rumor politics.”‘,
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, ‘Floor leader Choo demanded, “We now urge the Democratic Party to make a responsible apology and reflection.”‘,
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[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Go Beom-joon = Participants including Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, holding pickets at the International Joint Conference to Stop Ocean Dumping of Contaminated Water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the afternoon of September 4 last year. 2023.09.04. bjko@newsis.com,
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, ‘In response, the Democratic Party questioned, “Is the party leader, Han Dong-hoon, trying to act as Japan’s spokesperson?”‘,
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, ‘Hwang Jung-ah, the spokesperson of the Democratic Party, held a briefing in the parliamentary communication office in the afternoon and stated, “It is pathetic to sell the worries of the people as rumor politics just by believing in the Japanese government’s claim of safety,” adding, “The ridiculous argument that the continued consumption of seafood guarantees the safety of nuclear contaminated water discharge is absurd. On what grounds does the claim of safety being proven rest?”‘,
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, ‘She further remarked, “The government is not making any efforts to track the triple hydrogen and radiation that can be transferred along the ocean currents or conduct long-term monitoring of the effects on public health,” expressing, “Insisting that it is ‘safe’ because no problems have arisen even after a long time is not only ludicrous but also to the extent of deflecting and selling the opposition as rumor politics.”‘,
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, “On this day, the Democratic Party, the Innovation Party for People, the Progressive Party, along with opposition parties and civic organizations, held a forum at the National Assembly Member’s Office Building in the morning to criticize the government and the ruling party’s response to contaminated water over the past year.”,
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, ‘Kim Sung-hwan, who served as the head of the Democratic Party\’s “Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Contaminated Water Prevention Task Force” last year, at the forum stated, “Seeing the irresponsible attitude of the South Korean government that says \’there\’s no problem\’ based on things that are still unknown is distressing,” adding, “To protect the lives and safety of the people, we will keep a closer eye on and exert more effort to prevent the ocean dumping of Fukushima contaminated water.”‘,
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, ‘Wi Sung-gon, a Democratic Party member, emphasized, “The Fukushima contaminated water may not cause immediate problems now, but it will destroy the marine ecosystem in the future, causing many to suffer,” and urged, “Even now, the Yoon Suk-yeol government and the People Power have to take the lead in apologizing to the people and stopping the discharge of nuclear contaminated water.”‘,
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, ‘Tokyo Electric Power Company, which owns the Fukushima nuclear power plant, processed and diluted a total of approximately 55,000 tons of nuclear contaminated water through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) and discharged it into the sea in front of Fukushima from August 24 last year to August 16 last month. The 8th discharge began on the 7th of this month. It is reported that the release of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water will continue for about 30 years.’,
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