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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 10 July 2023
S.Korean lawmakers berate IAEA chief over Japanese plans to

release wastewater

By KIM TONG-HYUNG past 14 days to protest the Japa-
Associated Press nese discharge plans.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Further details from the meeting
Korean opposition lawmakers weren’t immediately available af-
sharply criticized the head of the ter reporters were asked to leave
United Nations’ nuclear watch- following opening statements.
dog on Sunday for its approval of Closely watched by parliamentary
Japanese plans to release treated security staff, dozens of protesters
wastewater from the damaged Fu- shouted near the lobby of the Na-
kushima nuclear power plant. tional Assembly’s main hall where
They met with Rafael Grossi in a the meeting was taking place,
tense meeting in Seoul that took holding signs denouncing the IAEA
place while protesters screamed and Japan.
outside the door. Grossi was to fly to New Zealand
Grossi, the International Atomic later on Sunday and would then
Energy Agency’s director general, travel to the Cook Islands as he
arrived in South Korea over the Main opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Won-shik, left, shows a list of further tries to reassure countries
weekend to engage with govern- proposed disposal methods for the Fukushima contaminated water as his party in the region about the Japanese
ment officials and critics and help lawmaker Wi Seong-gon and Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the plans.
reduce public concerns about International Atomic Energy Agency, right, look on during a meeting with the Hundreds of demonstrators had
food safety. party’s lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, July also marched in downtown Seoul
The IAEA last week approved the 9, 2023. on Saturday demanding that Ja-
Japanese discharge plans, say- Associated Press pan scrap its plans.
ing the process would meet in- over the next three decades. wastewater, including a possible A massive earthquake and tsuna-
ternational safety standards and “Our conclusion has been that this pursuit of long-term storage on mi in 2011 destroyed the Fukushima
pose negligible environmental plan, if it is carried out in the way it land. plant’s cooling systems, causing
and health impacts. South Korea’s has been presented, would be in The party has also criticized the three reactors to melt and release
government has also endorsed the line, would be in conformity with government of South Korean Presi- large amounts of radiation.
safety of the Japanese plans. the international safety standards,” dent Yoon Suk Yeol for putting Tokyo Electric Power Company
In his meeting with members of the Grossi said. people’s health at risk while trying Holdings, which operates the fa-
liberal Democratic Party, which The lawmakers responded by to improve relations with Japan. cility, has been storing the treated
controls a majority in South Korea’s harshly criticizing IAEA’s review, “If you think (the treated wastewa- water in hundreds of tanks that
parliament, Grossi said the IAEA’s which they say neglected long- ter) is safe, I wonder whether you now cover most of the plant and
review of the Japanese plans term environmental and health would be willing to suggest the are nearly full. Japanese officials
was based on “transparent” and impacts of the wastewater release Japanese government use that say the tanks must be removed to
“scientific” research. He acknowl- and threatens to set a bad prec- water for drinking or for industrial make room to build facilities for the
edged concerns over how the edent that may encourage other and agricultural purposes, rather plant’s decommissioning and to
Japanese plans would play out countries to dispose nuclear waste than dumping it in the sea,” Woo minimize the risk of leaks in case of
in reality and said the IAEA would into sea. They called for Japan Won-shik, a Democratic Party law- another major disaster. The tanks
establish a permanent office in Fu- to scrap the discharge plans and maker who attended the meet- are expected to reach their ca-
kushima to closely monitor how the work with neighboring countries ing, told Grossi. The party said Woo pacity of 1.37 million tons in early
discharge process is implemented to find safer ways to handle the has been on a hunger strike for the 2024.q

The U.N. refuses to retract its condemnation of Israel over the Jenin

military operation

By EDITH M. LEDERER destroyed the Jenin camp’s nar- targeting innocent Israeli civilians.”
Associated Press row roads and alleyways, forced Haq, the U.N. spokesperson, said
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Israel’s thousands of people to flee their Guterres “clearly condemns all of
United Nations ambassador called homes and killed 12 Palestinians. the violence that has been affect-
on Secretary-General Antonio One Israeli soldier also was killed. ing the civilians in Israel and the
Guterres to retract his condemna- “I strongly condemn all acts of vio- occupied Palestinian territories, re-
tion of the country for its excessive lence against civilians, including gardless of who is the perpetrator.”
use of force in its largest military op- acts of terror,” Guterres told report- The U.N. Security Council discussed
eration in two decades targeting a ers. Israel’s military operation in Jenin
refugee camp in the West Bank. Asked whether this condemnation behind closed doors Friday at the
U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Palestinians walk on a damaged road applied to Israel, he replied: “It ap- request of the United Arab Emir-
Haq said the secretary-general following two days of Israeli military plies to all use of excessive force, ates and received a briefing from
conveyed his views on Thursday raid on the militant stronghold of the and obviously in this situation, there Assistant Secretary-General Khaled
“and he stands by those views.” Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, was an excessive force used by Is- Khiari.
Guterres, angered by the impact Wednesday, July 5, 2023. raeli forces.” Erdan sent a letter to the 15 council
of the Israeli airstrikes and attack Associated Press Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Er- members and Guterres before the
on the Jenin refugee camp, said criticized Israel for preventing the dan called the U.N. chief’s remarks council meeting saying that over
the operation left over 100 civil- injured from getting medical care “shameful, far-fetched, and com- the past year, 52 Israelis were killed
ians injured, uprooted thousands and humanitarian workers from pletely detached from reality.” He by Palestinians, and many attacks
of residents, damaged schools reaching everyone in need. said the Israeli military action in were carried out from Jenin or from
and hospitals, and disrupted water Israel’s two-day offensive meant to Jenin “focused solely on combat- the area.q
and electricity networks. He also crack down on Palestinian militants ing the murderous Palestinian terror