DPRK slams Japan over Fukushima wastewater release

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Aug 2023 18:07

The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK condemns Japan's decision to release treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from a nearby fishing port in Namie town, northeastern Japan, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023 (AP)

The DPRK's Foreign Ministry condemned Japan's recent decision to discharge water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, describing it as an "inhumane crime", and alleging that it would have environmental and health ramifications on the region.

This stern condemnation comes as TEPCO, the operator of the nuclear facility, initiated the release of diluted wastewater into the Pacific Ocean earlier today.

"No one can deny that dumping contaminated water containing large amounts of radioactive materials into the sea is an inhumane act that destroys the global ecological environment," the ministry said in a statement quoted by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The statement emphasized the inconsistency in Japan's international stance. Despite advocating for worldwide denuclearization, Japan released water laden with radioactive materials, raising questions about its actual commitment to environmental well-being.

Pyongyang further asserted that this choice was driven by pragmatic and economic factors and supported by diplomatic assurances from the United States and its allies.

The DPRK Foreign Ministry's statement squarely places the responsibility for the potential fallout from this release on Japan's shoulders.

Earlier today, it was reported that the long-awaited dump of wastewater from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company into the Pacific Ocean has begun.

At 1213(HKT), the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant began to discharge contaminated water which has been in direct contact with nuclear active materials containing residues of a level 7 nuclear incident into the ocean.

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In March 2011, Fukushima suffered one of the world's worst nuclear disasters since Chernobyl after a tsunami rocked the islands.

About 1.33 million cubic meters of groundwater, rainwater, and water that was used for cooling the three damaged reactors at the Fukushima site are now being released.

To remove the radioactive elements, plant operator TEPCO treated the water using its ALPS processing systems; several neighboring countries have expressed skepticism regarding the system's reliability.