South Korea, US show differences over Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water

South Korea has raised concerns over Japan’s decision to release contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in the sea. The issue was raised with US climate envoy John Kerry, who landed in Seoul on Saturday to discuss international efforts to tackle global warming. But Kerry reaffirmed the US’ support to the plan’s transparency arguing that Japan had already weighed all the options and possible outcomes of the liquid dump.

Last week, the Yoshihide Suga led administration approved a plan to release more than a million tons of treated radioactive water from the destroyed plant into the Pacific Ocean. The once fully functional plant was obliterated by an earthquake and tsunami that hit the island back in 2011. Tokyo has argued that the water would be diluted and treated so as to make the radiation levels below those set for drinking water. However, both South Korea and China have rebuked the decision.

'Serious concerns' 

During a special dinner meet with Kerry, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong sought to rally support to its opposition to Japan’s plan. "Minister Chung conveyed our government and people's serious concerns about Japan's decision, and asked the US side to take interest and cooperate so that Japan will provide information in a more transparent and speedy manner," the ministry said in a statement.

However, Kerry speaking at a media roundtable expressed confidence in Japan’s decision highlighting that the plan was drawn in full consultations with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Further adding that Washington was “closely monitoring” the whole situation, he asserted that the US was keeping a watch that to ascertain that public health was not jeopardized.

"The United States is confident that the government of Japan is in very full consultations with the IAEA," he said. "The IAEA has set up a very rigorous process and I know that Japan has weighed all the options and the effects and they've been very transparent about the decision and the process."

Image Credits: korea.net/ AP