Fukushima release has South Korean politicians feasting, fasting
Japan’s disposal of wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant has politicians in South Korea responding in contrasting fashion, with one side fasting to protest the Japanese government's actions and the other side feasting to promote seafood consumption.
Democratic Party of Korea head Rep. Lee Jae-myung, on the fourth day of a hunger strike, said he would call on the international community to join his party’s protests against the Japanese government over the water’s release, in a press conference on Sunday.
“The dumping of the wastewater contaminated with radioactive materials by Japan is in direct violation of the London Convention on marine pollution,” he said. “It is time for the international community to step in and call out this clear breach of the international law, stop Japan’s misbehavior and stand united to preserve marine safety.”
The main opposition leader said he penned a letter to the heads of states and governments of the 86 signatories of the London Convention to collectively rally against the release of the Fukushima wastewater.
Announcing his hunger strike Thursday, Lee urged the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to bring the wastewater’s release to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Lee’s hunger strike, the end date of which he has not announced, coincides with his impending questioning by prosecutors in a series of criminal investigations into corruption allegations surrounding him and his aides. He was due to appear before prosecutors Wednesday, but the questioning has since been postponed at his request.
At the core of the Democratic Party’s Fukushima protests is its criticism of the Yoon administration’s foreign policy stance, more particularly its close alignment with Japan. “Our president is risking being complicit in Japan’s horrendous act of nuclear terrorism,” said the Democratic Party leader.
The ruling People Power Party says the opposition is purveying misinformation and conspiracy theories to rally its base, at the expense of Korea's fisheries industry.
The ruling party lawmakers said the wastewater was diluted and treated prior to being released as per International Atomic Energy Agency standards, and that the opposition was exaggerating the dangers the discharge poses to marine life at the cost of damage to the fishing industry.
The party’s lawmakers took turns staging dinners at seafood restaurants with the aim of showing it is safe to continue to consume fish and other seafood.
“It’s unfortunate how some in politics have chosen to turn to false information and fan public anxiety to advance their personal political goals,” Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, the ruling party’s leader, told reporters.
(责任编辑:新闻中心)
-
The AI stock bubble has burst. Here's how we know.
When you live in tech bubble central, signs of a tech bubble become easier to spot every time. Drive ...[详细] -
21日,荥经县严道二小开展“百米画卷,描绘少年心中中国梦”活动,200多名学生用手中的画笔描绘出自己心中的梦想。本次活动旨在活跃校园文化,培养学生健康向上的审美情趣,使广大儿童在感受美、创作美、欣赏美 ...[详细]
-
3日,记者从雅安市田家炳中学监控录像上看到,强震突然来袭时,师生临危不乱,学生原地靠桌蹲下,等第一波强震结束后,根据楼层的层数,每层有5秒钟的时间差,在确保楼梯基本通畅的情况下,老师快速有序有效疏散学 ...[详细]
-
连日来,在芦山县太平镇的偏僻村落,一名西装革履、温文尔雅的中年男子奔忙着。大雨中,他裤子卷过膝盖,每进一户人家,与主人拉起家常,目的是了解家庭经济状况,屋里屋外查看,目的是了解房屋受损情况。他是威海川 ...[详细]
-
17 Spectacular Outdoor Staircases
Spotting a steep set of stairs might elicit a groan from many. But in the right environment, a set o ...[详细] -
4日,迎政乡组织卫生防疫人员,对震后群众安置点、取水点、动物养殖圈舍进行消毒预防工作,并组织群众集中进行生活场所卫生治理。“4·20”芦山强烈地震发生后,迎政乡会同石棉县疾控中心、迎政乡卫生院,通过发 ...[详细]
-
3日,记者从雅安市田家炳中学监控录像上看到,强震突然来袭时,师生临危不乱,学生原地靠桌蹲下,等第一波强震结束后,根据楼层的层数,每层有5秒钟的时间差,在确保楼梯基本通畅的情况下,老师快速有序有效疏散学 ...[详细]
-
连日来,在芦山县太平镇的偏僻村落,一名西装革履、温文尔雅的中年男子奔忙着。大雨中,他裤子卷过膝盖,每进一户人家,与主人拉起家常,目的是了解家庭经济状况,屋里屋外查看,目的是了解房屋受损情况。他是威海川 ...[详细]
-
Trump won't stop making a deceptive bird claim. Experts debunk it.
Billions of birds are likely killed in the U.S. each year — but contrary to popular claims, wi ...[详细] -
北纬网截图近日,很多浏览北纬网(www.beiww.com)的网民朋友发现,北纬网换新首页了。原来,为庆祝正式上线6周年,北纬网历时3个多月,全新改版网站首页,希望带给网民朋友更好的浏览体验。新首页到 ...[详细]