SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has requested the presence of South Korean experts to monitor the planned release of water from Japan’s tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant. This request was made during a meeting on Wednesday with the Japanese prime minister at the NATO summit in Lithuania. Yoon’s office revealed that the two leaders also condemned North Korea’s recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, and described it as a serious provocation that further escalates tensions.
In acknowledging the recent findings by the U.N. nuclear watchdog at Fukushima, Yoon expressed concerns about Japan’s plan to discharge the plant’s radioactive wastewater. As a result, he urged the dispatch of South Korean experts to oversee the process. In response, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida assured Yoon that Japan will not release anything that could have a negative impact on the health and environment of South Korean citizens. Kishida also pledged to immediately halt the release of water if it were to exceed safety standards.
Furthermore, Yoon and Kishida reached an agreement to resume high-level economic dialogue later this year, as announced by Yoon’s office.
Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; editing by Christina Fincher and Mark Heinrich
Credit: The Star : News Feed
