Repeating Japan's stance like a parrot, South Korea's opposition criticizes its own government: South Korea | government | position on nuclear contaminated water
On the 26th, the opposition party in South Korea, the Justice Party, criticized the government's statement about Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water, repeating the Japanese government's position like a parrot and ignoring strong opposition from the South Korean people. Earlier that day, South Korean government officials said that the discharge of contaminated water from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea was the "most realistic" solution.
On the 26th, during a press conference attended by South Korea's State Adjustment Office's first Cho Pyo Ran, a media reporter asked if it was possible to use new storage tanks, cement solidification and other solutions to dispose of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water. Park Chu ran replied that after comprehensive consideration of scientific and safety factors, discharging into the sea is considered the "most realistic" solution, and therefore it has been decided to treat nuclear contaminated water in this way.
This statement by the South Korean government has sparked criticism and questioning from opposition parties. The leader of the Justice Party, Li Zhenwei, said, "We can no longer watch our government echo the lies of the Japanese government. Our 'parrot like' government lies endlessly, and this is the true horror story."
Li Zhenwei said that a public opinion survey shows that about 84% of Koreans oppose the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima into the sea, but the South Korean government ignores it, causing disappointment and anxiety among the public.
Earlier this month, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deju's statement that Fukushima nuclear contaminated water was "drinkable" was also criticized. The opposition party in South Korea has criticized Han Deju for playing the role of "spokesperson" for the Japanese government.
In recent days, South Korean people have been holding rallies to protest against the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water discharge plan into the sea. Li Zhenwei and other senior members of the Justice Party launched a hunger strike protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in South Korea on the 26th, hoping to work together with opposition parties and civic groups to pressure the Japanese government.
The Japanese government decided on April 13, 2021 to filter and dilute millions of tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant before discharging it into the sea. In January of this year, the Japanese government set the discharge time for Fukushima nuclear contaminated water as "this spring and summer". According to Japanese media reports on June 12th, Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, began trial operation of equipment related to the discharge of contaminated water into the sea on the same day.