A protestor from the environment activist group Green Korea United takes part in a rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, in this file photo taken June 7, 2023, to voice the group’s objection to Japan’s decision to discharge radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 21 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will stick to its ban on seafood imports from Japan’s Fukushima region regardless of Tokyo’s reported decision not to file an appeal with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the import ban, a senior official said Wednesday.
Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, made the remark during a daily briefing on the Fukushima issue, saying the issue of people’s health and safety is something that the “government can never compromise on.”
“A change in Japan’s policy does not affect our government’s position on the import ban on seafood products from Fukushima,” Park said.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s daily Seoul Shinmun, citing a Japanese government official, reported that Tokyo has internally established a decision not to appeal a WTO ruling that upheld Seoul’s import ban, and will not exert further pressure on Seoul regarding the issue.
South Korea has banned all seafood imports from eight Japanese prefectures near Fukushima since 2013 on concerns over their radiation levels in the wake of the meltdown in 2011.
In 2015, Japan officially lodged a complaint at the WTO against South Korea’s ban and additional testing requirements, with its dispute settlement body initially ruling in favor of Japan in 2018.
In 2019, however, the WTO appellate body overturned its previous decision, saying the Seoul government’s measures are not unfair trade restrictions and do not fall into the category of arbitrary discrimination.
“There has been no official announcement from the Japanese government regarding this issue,” Park said, adding that the foreign ministry is verifying the information through various diplomatic sources.
In response to heightened public concern, the Seoul government launched a daily press briefing last week to keep the public updated on the planned release of contaminated water from the plant.
(Yonhap)
