September 9, 2013

South Korea suspends seafood imports from Japan's Fukushima region

Following reports of radiation contamination from a crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, South Korea has begun suspending all seafood products from the region.

South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on August 30 that Seoul has currently also restricted all fishery products from seven other nearby prefectures.

According to the spokesman of South Korean Prime Minister Office, Shin Joong-don, the government has decided to ban all imports of seafood from the affected areas after a ministerial-level meeting presided over by Prime Minister Chung Hong-won on September 5, and a government-ruling party consultation on September 6.

The ministry said that Tokyo had failed to issue sufficient information regarding the damaged nuclear plant and its continuous stream of contaminated water leaking into the Pacific.

The level of radioactive water leaking from the site has reached its highest point as reported by Japanese officials while scientists also discovered high rates of radioactive caesium in fish near the plant.

"The measures are due to the sharp increase in concern from the public about the flow of hundreds of tonnes of contaminated water into the ocean at the site of the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. Our government made the decision as it is unclear how the Japanese crisis will progress and it will be difficult to precisely predict the future risk with the Japanese government data only," Shin Joong-don said.

One of the only two active reactors at the Oi plant, in the Fukui Prefecture in western Japan, went offline on September 3, with the other one being halted later this month.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was damaged during a mega-earthquake on March 11, 2011.