The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) held a conference with panels from the United States, China and Japan on Monday, seeking international cooperation in efforts to stop Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
DP leader Lee Jae-myung, Rep. Woo Won-shik and panels representing the three countries came together via video calls at the National Assembly, and exchanged their shared concerns over the environmental and health impact of Japan's ongoing water release, said Woo, who heads the DP's standing committee dealing with the release.
"We plan to share the respective countries' views on the water release, explore ways for international cooperation and devise practical solutions together in the hopes of mustering stronger global solidarity," Woo said in an opening address.
In particular, DP lawmakers pledged to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy with member nations of the London Protocol, an international convention on maritime pollution, and garner global support against Japan's water release during the protocol's General Assembly meeting in October.
As part of such efforts, DP leader Lee Jae-myung has sent letters to leaders of 88 nations that are parties to the international convention, Woo said.
Global attendees to the event included Dr. Joseph Berkson, the U.S. representative currently co-chairing the Nuclear Weapons Abolition Task Force of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility; Associate Professor Zhang Muhui from Sungkyunkwan University representing China; and Hajime Matsukubo, the secretary general of Citizens' Nuclear Information Center, an anti-nuclear organization in Japan.
Source: Yonhap News Agency