On the afternoon of July 4th, in central Seoul, members of prominent civil society organizations gathered in front of the Seoul Finance Center on Sejong-daero to participate in a rally denouncing the disposal of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.
SEOUL & NAMHAE, July 4 (Korea Bizwire) – On Tuesday, heavy rainfall was sweeping across the country as a result of the rainy season front. Despite these adverse weather conditions, over 1,000 fishermen congregated in Changseon-myeon, Namhae County, South Gyeongsang Province — the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula—to voice their opposition against the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.
On July 4th, at Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul’s largest wholesale seafood market, a vendor patiently awaits customers following the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) conclusive report on the Japanese government’s proposed discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean.
Concurrently, a rally took place in Seoul, the capital city, organized by prominent civil society organizations, aiming to halt the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Fukushima, Japan.
The Namhae County rally commenced with a national ritual, followed by a series of speeches, including those highlighting the struggles, encouraging the participants, showcasing cultural performances, condemning the actions, and reading official statements.
A massive rally was organized by over 1,000 fishermen in Namhae County, Gyeongnam Province, to vehemently protest the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant. (Image courtesy of Journalist Kim Hyun-woo at Busan-Ilbo)
The attending fishermen demanded immediate government action to ensure the safety of seafood and expressed their strong opposition to the discharge of contaminated water, which poses a significant threat to the marine ecosystem.
In the afternoon of July 4th, the Jeju Island Party of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea convened a resolution meeting at their party’s meeting room in Jeju, South Korea, to strongly condemn the offshore dumping of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Chun Myung-jo, the chairman of the South Korean Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, addressed the gathering, stating, “As fishermen from the South Sea, we have united here today with a single purpose: to vehemently oppose the discharge of contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant into our oceans.”
He further implored the government and political authorities, urging them to promptly implement measures to mitigate the damages and enact special legislation to safeguard the health and survival rights of the people and fishermen.
Image credit: Yonhap, Busan Ilbo/ photonews@koreabizwire.com
