China and South Korea have been the most vocal opponents of Japan’s decision to release its Fukushima nuclear waste into the sea. China, both private and official, has strongly condemned the irresponsible behavior of the Japanese government from the beginning to the end, but South Korea’s attitude is like a roller coaster, one moment fiercely opposed, one moment not opposed, and recently reversed, continuing to oppose Japan’s discharge of nuclear wastewater, why is South Korea such a tumultuous operation in the end?
From strongly opposing the discharge of nuclear waste water, to changing its mind, and then changing its mind again, look at the sadness of South Korea
Let’s look at how South Korea operates in relation to Japan’s nuclear waste water discharge:
(1) According to China News, South Korea’s Vice Minister of Marine and Fisheries Park Jun-young held an emergency press conference on April 13, regarding the Japanese government’s announcement of discharging Fukushima nuclear power plant effluent into the sea, saying that the government will never compromise to any practice that threatens the health of the nation and will take all feasible measures to protect the marine environment and the safety of aquatic products.
This is the South Korean government’s hard-hearted opposition to Japan’s discharge of nuclear wastewater into the sea, though this opposition soon reversed.
From being firmly opposed to the discharge of nuclear wastewater, to changing its mind, and then changing its mind again, see the sadness of South Korea
(2) According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said on April 19 that there is no need for South Korea to insist on opposing if the Japanese side can follow the standard procedures stipulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
With this statement by Foreign Minister Chung, I wonder if he understands the attitude of the South Korean people. On the same day of Jung’s speech, local fishermen in South Korea sailed around the area around the old Sukryo port in Geoje City with more than 50 fishing boats to condemn the Japanese government’s decision to discharge nuclear wastewater. The local fishermen said that the flow of nuclear wastewater into the Korean coast would seriously damage the marine ecosystem and that fish and shellfish spawning grounds, etc. would be lost as a result, so they strongly protested against Japan’s decision to discharge. So it seems that the Korean people are more hard-headed than the Korean government.
Just when we thought that South Korea was going to change its mind and agree to Japan’s nuclear waste water discharge, the plot was reversed again.
(3) Yonhap News Agency (Yonhap) announced on April 20 that South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong emphasized that he would firmly oppose Japan’s discharge of Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the ocean when he attended the emergency questioning session of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on April 20.
The attitude of the South Korean government is like turning over its face faster than a book.
From resolutely opposing the discharge of nuclear wastewater to changing its tone, and then changing its tone again, look at the sadness of South Korea
Let’s look at the attitude of China.
(1) On April 13, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying tweeted, “The Japanese side has unilaterally decided to dispose of the nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident by discharging it into the sea without exhausting safe disposal means and without full consultation with neighboring countries and the international community, in spite of domestic and foreign questions and objections. Is this something a responsible country would do?”
(2) At a Foreign Ministry press conference held on April 14, a reporter again mentioned the safety of nuclear wastewater. Zhao Lijian responded, “The ocean is not a garbage can for Japan, and the Pacific Ocean is not a sewer for Japan! The Japanese side should not make the world pay for the disposal of nuclear wastewater.” As for your mention of individual Japanese officials saying that the water is fine to drink, please ask him to drink it. Japan’s Minamata disease is not far away, and the pain of the local victims has not yet been healed. The Japanese side should not forget the historical tragedy, and should not pretend to be confused.
(3) On April 16, at the Foreign Ministry’s regular memorandum meeting, Zhao Lijian said that China has repeatedly stated its serious position on Japan’s decision to discharge Fukushima nuclear waste water into the sea. Yesterday, China summoned the Japanese ambassador to China and made serious representations, strongly urging Japan to recognize its responsibilities, uphold a scientific attitude, fulfill its international obligations, and not to initiate the discharge of nuclear waste water into the sea without prior consensus with stakeholders and international institutions.
(4) On April 20, at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin pointed out that what the Japanese side should do now is not to confuse the public under the banner of pseudo-science, but to truly uphold a scientific attitude, face up to the international community’s questioning and opposition, earnestly fulfill its international obligations, correct its unilateral and erroneous decision to dispose of the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear accident by discharging it into the sea, and take practical actions to win the trust of neighboring countries and the international community. The international community.
From resolutely opposing the discharge of nuclear wastewater to changing its mind and then changing its mind again, see the sadness of South Korea
From the whole incident, the Chinese side is firmly opposed to Japan’s good irresponsible practice and has never changed its position, but the South Korean side is frequently changing its mouth, reflecting the South Korean government’s lack of credibility. The reason for this in the end is why?
The author believes that it is related to two things, one is the statement of the U.S. government, and the second is the visit of the U.S. climate ambassador to Korea.
On April 13, after the Japanese government made the nuclear wastewater discharge into the sea, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken tweeted that day that he “appreciated” the Japanese efforts in dealing with the nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and looked forward to continued coordination between the Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency. On April 17, after a visit to China, the U.S. climate ambassador paid a visit to South Korea.
According to the Observer on April 19, the day Kerry arrived in South Korea, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong conveyed to the U.S. side the Korean side’s concerns about Japan’s decision to discharge nuclear sewage into the sea. But Kerry said on the 18th that the U.S. has confidence in the transparency of Japan’s nuclear waste water discharge plan, firmly believing that the Japanese side and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to maintain close cooperation on this, the U.S. should not intervene in the process. From the point of view of Jung Eui-sol’s communication with the U.S. on Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge, South Korea seems to be testing the American’s mouth, and after the American Kerry expressed his confidence in Japan, Jung Eui-sol changed his mind, also on April 19, Jung Eui-sol made a speech saying that he no longer firmly opposed to Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge.
From resolutely opposing the discharge of nuclear waste water to changing his mind, and then changing his mind again, look at the sadness of South Korea
From the standpoint of the United States, Japan’s diplomatic position is obviously higher than South Korea’s. Japan is the anti-China front-runner that the United States wants to build single-handedly, so it is impossible for the United States to oppose Japan on matters that do not harm the interests of the United States, while South Korea’s weight is much lighter in the eyes of the United States. For South Korea, in fact, it does not want to be the anti-China vanguard of the Americans, otherwise South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-sol would not have chosen China for his first visit, not to mention the clear statement, “not to choose a side between China and the United States.” But in the face of the American visit, South Korea obviously felt the pressure of the United States, otherwise why would South Korea take a softer position on such a matter that seriously affects its security? Of course we have reason to believe that South Korea, which has frequently changed its tone, is doing its best to balance the influence of China and the United States on South Korea and, more importantly, to try to account for it to its own people. But we can still see the sadness of a country that does not enjoy full independence and sovereignty. This sadness is that South Korea cannot get rid of U.S. influence and pursue its own legitimate national interests.
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