South Korea will make sure to participate in an international monitoring team led by the UN nuclear watchdog for Japan's planned release of nuclear polluted water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.
The ministry on Tuesday renewed the pledge in a report submitted to the parliament, as concerns have grown over potential health risks after Tokyo said it would start releasing over 1.2 million tonnes of Fukushima's contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.
Seoul has voiced strong opposition to the plan, saying that Tokyo has not given enough information about the release, and it wants to take part in safety verification efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"As there are concerns that our country is likely to suffer the most direct damage, we plan to deliver the need for sharing of additional information and consultations, separately from the verification through IAEA," the ministry said in the report.
"We also plan to make a request (to Japan) to ensure the dispatch of South Korean experts for the IAEA verification process," it said, adding that the forming of the monitoring team is a "matter to be agreed upon" between Japan and the IAEA.
The ministry said it also plans to request the two countries hold joint consultations of experts from both countries on the issue.
