Citizens Worried President Yoon Might Import Marine Products from Fukushima

An empty Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on March 21. Jeon Ji-hyeon

News got out that Japan asked South Korea to lift import regulations on marine products from Fukushima, Japan in the latest summit, igniting concern among the citizens of Korea. Given the government’s lowly attitude toward Japan, confirmed in its solution to the forced mobilization under Japanese occupation, the people find it hard to trust the government to stand by its principle of putting top priority on the safety and health of the people.

The Japanese Sankei Shimbun reported on March 20 that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida requested South Korea to lift restrictions on the import of marine products from Fukushima in the summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol on March 16. In a press briefing Monday, the Office of the President said they could not disclose any information on whether there were such discussions. At the same time, the presidential office said, “Our government position is clear. We cannot accept anything that threatens the safety and health of our citizens.”

That the safety and health of our citizens is top priority has been the basic principle upheld by the South Korean government since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011. When the South Korean government won in the second trial in 2019 after Japan filed a claim at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against South Korea’s ban on the import of marine products, our foreign ministry said, “It was the result of our best efforts to uphold a principle that puts top priority on the safety and health of our citizens since our defeat in the first trial.” The import ban on 28 types of marine products from eight prefectures in Japan is still maintained to this day.

The Office of the President reaffirmed the government principle, but citizens still expressed concern. The people that the Kyunghyang Shinmun met at the Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on March 21 said they were worried that the government might have eased regulations after seeing Japan drag South Korea around in the summit. Merchants were concerned that business would get tougher if marine products were imported from Fukushima.

One storeowner who has been selling fish for over twenty years said, “I want to trust him, since I voted for him in the presidential election, but I get the feeling he might allow imports if Japan makes a good offer.” Yun, a woman in her sixties came out after shopping at the market and said, “I was nervous because of the comfort women issue and because he let Japan drag us around throughout the summit,” and added, “I think I’ll have to stop eating fish if marine products are imported.” Oh (85), who bought hairtail from Jeju at the market, said, “I feel uneasy about buying and eating marine products (when I hear about Fukushima),” and argued, “The government should present measures to help the people feel at rest.”

The people also criticized the government for not raising an issue in the latest summit despite that Japan had announced plans to release contaminated water from Fukushima. An Jae-hun, director of activities at the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, explained, “There is controversy over how much radioactive materials are in the contaminated water,” and said, “The government should have demanded an alternative to the discharge of water in the summit, which is a diplomatic forum.” Goh Song-ja, secretary-general of the Haenyeo (women divers) Association who has been diving for thirty-five years, said, “I’m worried because we directly swallow the sea water in our job, and because people might not buy Jeju-do products.” She also said, “The date of the release is approaching, but there seems to have been no discussion to give us a sense of security.”