Rival parties show mixed reactions to IAEA's report on Fukushima water release plan

Rival parties on Tuesday showed mixed reactions to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s report that concluded Japan's plan to discharge water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant meets international safety standards.

After a two-year review by a task force of experts from 11 different countries, the IAEA concluded the discharges of the water treated by the nuclear plant's custom purification system, known as ALPS, would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) said it respects the U.N. nuclear watchdog's assessment.

"It is time to respond calmly to Japan's plan to discharge the Fukushima contaminated water based on a rational analysis," Kang Min-kook, a PPP spokesperson, said in a written commentary. "It would be appropriate to say that the issue of the Fukushima water has entered a new phase." The PPP called on the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to stop spreading false rumors over the issue for political gain and instead make bipartisan efforts to come up with follow-up measures to ensure public safety.

"Since the verification results of the international organization have been announced, the DP must now stop spreading rumors and instead focus on follow-up measures for the safety of the people," Kang said. "The PPP, together with the government, will do its utmost to ease public anxiety and ensure thorough safety in any follow-up actions."

In contrast, the DP said the IAEA finding is a "hollow" report that failed to independently verify the safety of the Fukushima water.

The DP claimed that the IAEA's assessments were made based on the Japanese government's position and the assumption that Tokyo Electric Power Co. will perfectly execute the plan, saying the U.N. nuclear watchdog failed to alleviate the concerns of the international community and South Korea.

"The IAEA has effectively neglected its responsibility to verify the safety of Fukushima's nuclear wastewater," the DP's special committee dealing with the issue said in a release.

BY Yonhap