An official conducts a radiation level test on seafood at a health and safety research center in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on June 15, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 19 (Korea Bizwire) — With Japan’s approaching deadline for releasing contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean, Korean retailers and food producers are taking action to address consumer concerns.
Lotte Department Store will install equipment at all its stores capable of detecting radioactive substances in fishery products. The company will conduct a comprehensive examination of all its products starting next month.
Products that require additional safety testing will be sent to the company’s dedicated research lab for thorough analysis.
The store has stocked enough fishery products to last until the next Lunar New Year.
Shinsegae Department Store also has an ample supply of corvina and cutlassfish that will last until the next Korean New Year.
Hyundai Department Store plans to introduce radioactivity measurement devices at each of its stores to perform regular safety tests once the contaminated water is released.
Additionally, the store intends to introduce high-end radioactivity measurement devices.
E-Mart will implement radioactivity measurement devices at its logistics hubs to conduct tests, followed by an additional precision test the next day.
Lotte Mart has increased the frequency of radioactivity tests from once per quarter to four times a week. After the contaminated water is released, the company plans to further increase the number of tests.
Catering firms commonly use refrigerated fish from Norway or the Pacific. However, they have implemented stricter management standards as a preemptive measure.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
