Korea to keep close tabs on Japan's Fukushima water discharge plan

Civic activists hold a rally in Seoul to oppose Japan's planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima plant into the ocean, April 20. According to the foreign ministry, Korea will step up communication with Japan and the U.N. nuclear watchdog over Tokyo's planned release of the. Yonhap

Korea will step up communication with Japan and the U.N. nuclear watchdog to address health and security concerns over Tokyo's planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority gave initial approval Wednesday for Tokyo Electric Power's plan to discharge water from the plant starting around early 2023. Final approval is planned following a 30-day public comment period.

The foreign ministry said it remains committed to its efforts to ensure Japan safely releases the contaminated water from the plant in line with "international laws and standards" based on "objective and scientific perspective."

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is tasked with conducting safety reviews on the planned water release.

"The government will continue to strengthen communication between Korea and Japan, as well as with the international community including the IAEA, by prioritizing public health and security in relation to the (Fukushima) contaminated water," ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam told a press briefing.

In April 2021, Japan announced a plan to start discharging the radioactive water in 2023 in what is expected to be a decades-long process, as all storage tanks at the Fukushima plant are expected to be full as early as the fall of this year. (Yonhap)

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