A fisherman checks fish to be auctioned off at a market in the eastern county of Yangyang on Aug. 25, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will strengthen radiation tests on farmed seafood to help ease public concerns following Japan’s release of contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, the oceans ministry said Friday.
Japan began releasing “treated” radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean Thursday amid concerns and opposition raised by its fishing population and neighboring countries.
“The government will significantly expand tests on farmed seafood before they are shipped by mobilizing private institutions,” Vice Oceans Minister Park Sung-hoon told a regular press briefing on the Fukushima issue.
The government has conducted radiation tests on farmed seafood since 2011, and it will launch the intensive testing next week to meet growing demand for testing by those in the aquaculture industry and to ensure the safety of seafood, he added.
The government will more than double the number of tests to be conducted by year-end to 4,000 after taking samples from all farms across the nation. South Korea has some 12,000 aquaculture farms.
Last month, the government began a pilot test on farmed seafood through private organizations, and probes into 143 samples found no radiation, according to the ministry.
Concerns have been deepening over the impact of the Fukushima water release on the South Korean fishing industry as people have reduced seafood consumption out of safety concerns.
In response, the government has beefed up the seafood radiation management system.
It is carrying out “swift radiation checks” on seafood and an intensified inspection into the marking of country of origin for seafood imports.
South Korea has banned all seafood imports from eight Japanese prefectures near Fukushima since 2013 and vowed to keep the restriction in place.
(Yonhap)
