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Ministry says Korean waters unaffected by Japanese radiation leak
By Korea HeraldPublished : Sept. 12, 2013 - 21:19
South Korean seas are still safe from the radiation leak at a Japanese nuclear power plant, the government said Thursday in an attempt to ease growing public concerns here.
A recent radiation check of six areas close to Japan found no or only minuscule traces of induced or artificial radioactive materials, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
“The result of an analysis of waters from six sea areas that was conducted jointly with the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission showed no traces of induced radioactive materials or only minuscule (maximum of 0.00172 becquerels per kilogram) traces,” the ministry said in a press release.
Even the detected amount is far lower than the average amount of radioactive particles found in South Korean waters prior to the nuclear accident at Japan’s Fukushima power plant in early 2011 when a powerful earthquake caused the meltdown of a major nuclear reactor at the Fukushima plant, it added.
The allowable level of radioactive materials in food is 100 becquerels per kilogram, the ministry said earlier.
A separate test on locally produced fisheries products also showed no trace of radioactive materials in products and yields from South Korea‘s territorial waters, according to the ministry.
“The test confirmed that marine products produced from our waters are safe from radiation,” it said.
The government has said it will take up to 10 years before the radiation-contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima plant reaches South Korea and that the level of contamination will be reduced down to only 0.15 becquerels per cubic meter of water by then. The level of radiation found in natural environment is at 2 becquerels per one cubic meter of water, it said.
The latest test came as a growing radiation scare here is leading to a significant cut in the consumption of fisheries products, which is also causing their prices to plunge.
In a move to protect the local market, the South Korean government has imposed an import ban on all fisheries products from Fukushima and seven other adjacent prefectures in Japan, including Ibaraki, Chiba and Aomori.
The ministry said on Thursday that it will also increase the frequency of its radiation checks of South Korean waters from once every three months to twice a month in four areas that are closest to Japan. (Yonhap News)
A recent radiation check of six areas close to Japan found no or only minuscule traces of induced or artificial radioactive materials, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
“The result of an analysis of waters from six sea areas that was conducted jointly with the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission showed no traces of induced radioactive materials or only minuscule (maximum of 0.00172 becquerels per kilogram) traces,” the ministry said in a press release.
Even the detected amount is far lower than the average amount of radioactive particles found in South Korean waters prior to the nuclear accident at Japan’s Fukushima power plant in early 2011 when a powerful earthquake caused the meltdown of a major nuclear reactor at the Fukushima plant, it added.
The allowable level of radioactive materials in food is 100 becquerels per kilogram, the ministry said earlier.
A separate test on locally produced fisheries products also showed no trace of radioactive materials in products and yields from South Korea‘s territorial waters, according to the ministry.
“The test confirmed that marine products produced from our waters are safe from radiation,” it said.
The government has said it will take up to 10 years before the radiation-contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima plant reaches South Korea and that the level of contamination will be reduced down to only 0.15 becquerels per cubic meter of water by then. The level of radiation found in natural environment is at 2 becquerels per one cubic meter of water, it said.
The latest test came as a growing radiation scare here is leading to a significant cut in the consumption of fisheries products, which is also causing their prices to plunge.
In a move to protect the local market, the South Korean government has imposed an import ban on all fisheries products from Fukushima and seven other adjacent prefectures in Japan, including Ibaraki, Chiba and Aomori.
The ministry said on Thursday that it will also increase the frequency of its radiation checks of South Korean waters from once every three months to twice a month in four areas that are closest to Japan. (Yonhap News)
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Articles by Korea Herald
