Yoon asks Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring Fukushima water discharge

President Yoon Suk Yeol asked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring the Fukushima treated wastewater discharge process in a bilateral summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol asked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to include Korean experts in monitoring the Fukushima treated wastewater discharge process in a bilateral summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

Yoon further requested Japan to immediately halt the water release if radioactive materials exceed the standard level and inform the Korean side, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, according to the presidential office in a statement.

Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a report that backs Japan's plan to release the contaminated water stored in tanks from its crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima into the ocean. The move has been concerning to international environmental groups, the Japanese fishing industry and neighboring countries, and vehemently protested by Democratic Party lawmakers.

A massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and Japan has struggled for years deciding what to do with the contaminated water.

During the 30-minute meeting, Yoon said that he "respected" the conclusion drawn by the UN nuclear watchdog, referring to the IAEA report, which found that water discharge meets international safety standards.

Yoon asked Japan to "share monitoring information on whether the entire discharge process is carried out as planned with our side in real time, and allow Korean experts to participate in the discharge inspection process."

Kishida, in turn, said that Japan will make every effort to ensure the safety of the water discharge so that it does not harm the health of the Korean and Japanese people or the environment.

He said that the water discharged will be reviewed by the IAEA and that Japan will reveal information monitoring the process with "high transparency," said the office.

Kishida said that if any issues are found during the monitoring, such as a high concentration of radioactive materials, Japan "will take appropriate measures," such as immediately ceasing the planned water discharge.

The two leaders also strongly criticized North Korea for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier that day.

"I believe that South Korea and Japan can work together to contribute greatly to peace and prosperity in the region and to resolving global issues," Yoon said in his opening remarks.

He said that the latest ICBM launch is an act of provocation that threatens regional and global peace and stability and a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The two leaders assessed that efforts to improve bilateral relations are showing "tangible results," such as the restoration of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries after 12 years.

This marks the sixth meeting between the two countries' leaders since Yoon took office.

They also agreed to "continue efforts to develop bilateral cooperation in a future-oriented manner," according to Yoon's office. The countries plan to operate various dialogue channels to seek ways to work together in diplomacy, security, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Yoon and Kishida also met earlier that day in a meeting of the leaders of the AP4, or Asia-Pacific Partners, countries involving Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The AP4 leaders said in a joint statement they "strongly condemn" North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile launch, which is in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and "pose a grave challenge to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, Indo-Pacific region as well as the international community."

The statement added that even if Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear and missile programs, "it will only bolster the international community's resolve to achieve complete denuclearization of North Korea."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]