IAEA chief says no disagreement among Fukushima report experts

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief assured Saturday that the latest comprehensive report on the Fukushima wastewater discharge plan is based on scientific analysis, attempting to address public concerns about the report’s integrity.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Mariano Grossi meets with Yoo Guk-hee, head of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), at the government complex in Seoul on Saturday. [NSSC]

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief assured Saturday that the latest comprehensive report on the Fukushima wastewater discharge plan is based on scientific analysis, attempting to address public concerns about the report’s integrity.

The comment was made during IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s exclusive interview with JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on Saturday in Seoul.

Grossi arrived in Korea on Friday for his three-day visit to meet the head of the country's nuclear regulator and foreign minister, following a trip to Japan where he handed the final IAEA inspection report on the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima water discharge plan to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The IAEA chief was met by protesters upon his arrival at the airport, and was reported to have left the airport two hours after arriving.

Answering a question on skepticism surrounding the IAEA report’s integrity in Korea, Grossi emphasized that the inspection was conducted thoroughly based on scientific analysis, adding the IAEA will monitor and ensure a safe release of the treated wastewater moving forward.

The IAEA chief also said that he plans to explain the agency’s conclusion to the Democratic Party (DP), which is strongly opposed to Japan’s water release plan.

In a press interview with Yonhap, a local news outlet, Grossi said that there has been no disagreement behind the agency’s final report, denying a previous report from Reuters, while expressing his confidence in the report’s scientific integrity and validity.

Grossi will meet with lawmakers from the DP on Sunday.

On Saturday, Grossi met with Yoo Guk-hee, head of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), at the government complex in Seoul. He briefed the commission on the IAEA's final comprehensive report, while Yoo requested Korea’s continued participation in the IAEA's monitoring process, according to the NSSC.

During a follow-up meeting with Foreign Minister Park Jin, Grossi discussed possible cooperation between the agency and Korea.

In another press interview with Chosun Ilbo, a local news outlet, Grossi stressed that the tritium level in Fukushima wastewater will be below the international safety standard if treated appropriately, saying that he can drink or even swim in the water.

DP spokesperson criticized Grossi's comment, saying that the IAEA chief is acting as "an advocate for the Fukushima water discharge plan."

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]