SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday during the NATO summit. The agenda is expected to include discussions on the release of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant and North Korea’s actions.
Japan is planning to release over a million tons of treated radioactive water from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. This decision has caused anger and concern among South Koreans.
Last week, after a two-year review, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Japan’s plans align with global safety standards and will have minimal radiological impact on people and the environment.
South Korea’s government has acknowledged the IAEA’s report and stated that their own analysis found the release will not significantly impact their waters.
However, South Korea has expressed that its final decision on Japan’s release will be based on the details of the plan provided by Tokyo.
In addition to the Fukushima water discharge, the meeting between President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida is also expected to focus on North Korea. This comes after Pyongyang launched a long-range ballistic missile off its east coast just hours before the planned talks.
Efforts have been made in recent years to improve relations between Seoul and Tokyo, driven by the shared concern over North Korea’s threats.
North Korea has recently voiced strong objections to U.S. military activities in the region, accusing an American spy plane of intruding into its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The regime has warned of potential escalations if the perceived “illegal intrusion” continues.
Furthermore, President Yoon is scheduled to hold a separate meeting with leaders from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand during his time in Lithuania.
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Michael Perry)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
