[1/5] South Korean people chant slogans during a protest against Japan’s discharge of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, in Seoul, South Korea, August 26, 2023.
REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Protesters gathered in the capital of South Korea on Saturday to demand that the government take steps to avoid what they fear is a looming disaster from Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
The utility responsible for the plant, Tokyo Electric Power (9501.T) has been filtering the water to remove isotopes, leaving only tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is hard to separate.
South Korea has said it sees no scientific problems with the water release but environmental activists argue that all possible impacts have not been studied.
The first discharge of 7,800 cubic metres - equivalent to about three Olympic pools - will take place over about 17 days.
Persons:
Kim Hong, Choi Kyoungsook, Choi, Gyun Kim, Jimin Jung, Heekyong Yang, Kirsten Donovan
Organizations:
REUTERS, Rights, Korea Radiation Watch, Tokyo Electric Power, Kyodo, Thomson
Locations:
Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Japan, Tokyo, Korea