DPK committee urges Abe to response to concerns about safety of radioactivity

Rep. Choi Jae-sung, center, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's special committee on Japan's economic regulations, speaks during a press conference held for Japanese correspondents at the National Assembly, Monday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) special committee on Japan's economic regulations urged the Japanese administration to respond to concerns regarding the level of radioactive contamination in Japan before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“The Olympic torch relay will take place close to the Fukushima region and a baseball game will be held 70 kilometers from the plant. There are allegations that Japan will use agricultural and fisheries products from the Fukushima region to make dishes for the Olympic team and dump radioactive contaminated waste from the plant into the Pacific Ocean. If it is true, it will be a serious crime,” Rep. Choi Jae-sung, chairman of the DPK's committee, said during a press conference held for Japanese correspondents in Seoul at the National Assembly, Monday.

“The Abe administration should respond to these worries clearly and honestly.”

His remarks came after the ruling bloc's move to consider further restrictions on imports of food products from Japan, citing the radioactive impact of the 2011 earthquake which caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Earlier, the ruling bloc decided Friday to call for the International Olympic Committee or the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct an investigation into the safety issue ahead of the Olympics.

Earlier, Choi urged Korea may need to consider expanding travel restrictions to all parts of Japan citing the allegations that radioactivity was detected recently in Tokyo, with the level four times higher than permissible.

Meanwhile, Choi reiterated the committee's stance that Japan created the problematic situation by linking the diplomatic issue to economic issues.

On the same day, however, Choi ruled out the possibility that the committee would push to boycott the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics but said it is simply raising the question of safety issues related to Japan's radiation levels.

Regarding the intentions behind holding the conference for Japanese correspondents, Choi said it is a measure followed by the Japanese government which held a press conference for Korean correspondents in Tokyo. He also urged Japanese reporters not to keep silent about their government's double standards on the matter.