Fishermen Stage New Protest Against Japanese Nuclear Wastewater

On Wednesday afternoon, South Korean fishermen staged a maritime rally in the southern coastal county of Boseong to protest against Japan's planned release of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima power plant into the ocean.

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Over 100 fishing boats set out from a port of the county, plowing their way through the glittering blue waves with banners attached on the sides that read "Oppose Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater discharge into the ocean," and "The ocean is not a dumping ground for nuclear-contaminated wastewater."

The long line of boats circled around in southern waters, and 12 of them sailed toward two vessels at the center of the circle. From the two vessels, 120 boxes with a mark symbolizing nuclear pollutants were thrown into the sea to represent Japan's radioactive wastewater discharge, while fishermen from the 12 boats pulled up the boxes from the sea and delivered them back to the two vessels.

"It was a performance showing that South Korean people collect the nuclear-contaminated wastewater, released by Japan, and return it back to Japan," said Kim Young-chul, executive chief of the Federation of Korean Fishermen's Associations.

"The fishing boats circled around to show that if Japan discharges Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea, South Korean vessels will surround the wastewater and make it no longer flow into other countries," he added.

"The ocean is the home of our lives. I have lived all my life with gratitude to the ocean which is like family and a friend, and also my workplace...If Japan discharges Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater, it will become a sea of death. Fishermen will also be dead."

Right before the maritime demonstration, the fishermen held a separate rally on land in protest of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater dumping plan.

They chanted the slogan "The Japanese government should immediately retract its plan to dump Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean," wearing a red band around their heads with the slogan "Protect our right to life."

The demonstrators urged South Korea to firmly oppose Japan's nuclear-contaminated wastewater discharge plan. Amid wide criticism from both home and abroad, Japan has been pushing to dump the radioactive wastewater this summer from the Fukushima power plant, which was hit by a massive earthquake and an ensuing tsunami in March 2011.

Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published its final comprehensive safety review report on Japan's ocean discharge plan, claiming that the plan "is in conformity with the agreed international standards." However, the IAEA report has failed to dispel concerns among South Korean fishermen.

"Nobody can scientifically estimate the potential danger of Japan's nuclear-contaminated wastewater discharge, which will last for decades, and such a catastrophe as radioactive wastewater discharge into the sea is unforgivable and must never happen," said Chang Dong-beom, a fisherman in his 70s.

"Once Japan starts its discharge plan, it will set a precedent for the disposal of radioactive wastewater by sea, causing untold damage that could be a disaster for humanity. The ocean is literally the home of my life. After opening my eyes in the morning, I went out to the ocean and stayed there sometimes all night long. I have lived such a life," he added.