Or it may be caused by Japan's discharge of pollutants into the sea, leading to a high rise in salt prices in South Korea | table salt | South Korea
According to a report by Japanese television on the 14th, recently, domestic salt prices in South Korea have skyrocketed, and one of the reasons may be related to Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant's plan to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea.
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has over 1000 water storage tanks for storing nuclear wastewater and is scheduled to begin discharging it into the ocean this summer. As neighboring countries of Japan, major South Korean media have recently reported on the progress of nuclear wastewater discharge into the sea, paying close attention to this matter. Many South Koreans are concerned that once nuclear wastewater is discharged into the sea, it will pose a threat to health and safety.
In this context, the price of salt in South Korea remains high. According to Korean media, the current salt price is more than 60% higher than in previous years. A South Korean salt producer said, "Orders continue to increase, but they are still sold out. This situation is very rare." Some argue that consumers are uneasy about the discharge of nuclear wastewater into the sea and hope to stock up on salt extracted from seawater before it is discharged into the ocean.
The South Korean government stated in June that the reasons for the increase in salt prices include poor climate, reduced production, and adjustments in shipments during the rainy season. But Japanese television believes that it is precisely after mainstream South Korean media reported on the discharge of nuclear wastewater into the sea for several days that consumer anxiety has intensified, leading to high salt prices. Although the South Korean government is trying to appease the public, as the date for nuclear wastewater discharge into the sea approaches, public opposition and concerns continue to rise.