SOUTH KOREA will make sure to participate in an international monitoring team led by the U.N. nuclear watchdog for Japan’s planned release of nuclear polluted water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, Yonhap reported, citing the country’s foreign ministry.

The ministry yesterday renewed the pledge in a report submitted to the parliament, as concerns have grown over potential health risks after Tokyo said it would start releasing over 1.2 million tons of Fukushima’s contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.

Seoul has voiced strong opposition to the plan, saying that Tokyo has not given enough information about the release, and it wants to take part in safety verification efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“As there are concerns that our country is likely to suffer the most direct damage, we plan to deliver the need for sharing of additional information and consultations, separately from the verification through IAEA,” the ministry said in the report.

(Xinhua)