Protesters gathered in the capital of South Korea on Saturday (August 26) to demand that the government take steps to avoid what they fear is a potential disaster from Japan's release of treated radioactive water from a wrecked nuclear power plant, Reuters reports.
Japan began dumping the water from the Fukushima nuclear plant north of Tokyo into the sea on Thursday (August 24) despite objections both at home and abroad from fishing communities and others worried about the environmental impact.
“Even if it claims to treat the contaminated water scientifically safe for marine dumping, we can't trust its ability. I’m sure there will be problems happening inevitably," said Choi Kyoungsook of the Korea Radiation Watch group that organised the rally.
About 30,000 people joined the protest, broadcaster KBS reported, citing organisers.
Japan and scientific organisations say the water is safe. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power has been filtering it to remove isotopes, leaving only tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is hard to separate.
