North Korea has called upon the international community to stop Japan from releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.
“The just international community must not sit and watch the evil, anti-humanitarian and belligerent action by the corrupt force that is trying to disrupt humanity’s home of the blue planet – and must unite to thoroughly stop and destroy them,” the country’s Land and Environment Protection Department said.
Its statement, reported by state media outlet KCNA on Sunday, comes after the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said last week that Tokyo’s plan was safe and in line with international standards for environmental safety.
Japan plans to release the wastewater sometime this summer.
IAEA chief ‘completely convinced’ it’s safe to release treated Fukushima nuclear wastewater
Pyongyang’s statement is the latest in a series of concerns voiced by neighboring countries like South Korea, China and the Pacific Islands – all of which have raised fears about potential harm to the environment and public health.
Chinese custom authorities on Friday announced that a ban on food imports from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima would remain in place and that it would strengthen inspections to monitor for “radioactive substances, to ensure the safety of Japanese food imports to China.”
The UN’s approval has done little to reassure fishermen and residents still affected by the 2011 disaster.
Speaking to CNN in a recent interview in Tokyo, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said he had met with Japanese fishing groups and local mayors and acknowledged their fears.
Source: cnn.com
