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Members of Korean environmental groups protest Japan’s plan to dump wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean with signs and a skit in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza on May 19. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Activists from several environmental groups held a protest at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul on Friday morning, criticizing Japan’s plan to dump radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.

The participating groups included the Asian Citizen’s Center for Environment and Health, the Ocean Committee of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, the Seoul chapter of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, and the Environment and Health National Network Korea.

Members of Korean environmental groups protest Japan’s plan to dump wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean with signs and a skit in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza on May 19. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

The protesters called upon the countries that are participating in the three-day summit of wealthy industrial nations in Hiroshima to clearly express their opposition to the dumping of the radioactive water and criticized South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for his equivocal stance on the issue.

“Since the Pacific is the largest ocean in the world, pollution in the Pacific would soon spread to every ocean in the world,” the protesters said.

“The Pacific Ocean is not some dump where contaminated water from Fukushima can be deposited. Japan must comply with UN conventions and the UN’s vision of protecting the oceans,” they said, calling on the countries invited to the G7 summit to declare their firm opposition to releasing the contaminated water into the ocean.

Members of Korean environmental groups protest Japan’s plan to dump wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean with signs and a skit in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza on May 19. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

In related news, the South Korean government confirmed on Friday that the team it will be sending to the Fukushima plant to inspect its water treatment process will be made up of 21 experts and will depart for a six-day trip on Sunday.

By Kim Jung-hyo, senior staff writer

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