S. KOREA ON JAPAN'S CONTAMINATED WATER

[Anchor Lead]

The Japanese government's plan to release radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant has caused an uproar. Now the Korean government has taken actions to deal with this problem by raising this issue at an international meeting on marine affairs.

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Water tanks containing radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant are lined up row after row. 1.17 million tons have been stored here so far. Japan claims the contaminated water has been processed, but tritium can still be detected. A recent KBS report revealed that other radioactive materials such as caesium and iodine were found in some of the water. Despite this fact, Japan seeks to dump the contaminated water in the sea on the pretext of overcrowding. This has prompted the Korean government to raise the issue at the Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention, which began on October 7th. Seoul's action has produced results. Korea was able to gain international support on this issue. Up until last year, it was seen as a bilateral problem concerning only Seoul and Tokyo. China and Chile agreed the Japanese government's plan would impact not just the adjacent seas, but also the global marine environment.

[Soundbite] SONG MYEONG-DAL(CHIEF DELEGATE(MINISTRY OF OCEANS AND FISHERIES)) : "It was encouraging to have other countries openly support and tell us off the record, they fully understand our position."

Greepeace also concluded that Japan's contaminated water processing system is inefficient and expressed concerns over the country's plan to release the water into the sea. Japan insists this issue does not pertain to the London Convention, but said that any progress in the matter will be notified to the international community. The London Convention, joined by 87 countries, is an international agreement to prevent marine pollution by banning waste-dumping into the sea.