Korean experts visited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Office at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) for the first time under an agreement between the IAEA and the Republic of Korea (ROK) providing for the IAEA to share information on its monitoring of the discharge of ALPS treated water.
The Korean team, comprised of experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), visited the IAEA’s office where the IAEA has a continuous presence on the site. Agency staff also held several technical meetings with the Korean experts off-site over the past two weeks as part of the IKFIM.
The IAEA-ROK Fukushima Information Mechanism (IKFIM) established a framework for the IAEA to share technical information and data on the treated water discharge and its monitoring activities at the FDNPS with ROK. This agreement underscores the IAEA’s commitment to enhancing communication with the public on the safety of the discharge of ALPS treated water, including in the region.
The Agency provided information to the Korean experts on how the Agency monitors and assesses the water discharge to ensure that the relevant international safety standards continue to be applied by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) – Fukushima Daiichi’s operator - and the Government of Japan.
Under IKFIM, information on the IAEA’s monitoring activities will be shared through written updates, virtual meetings, and ROK experts’ visits to the IAEA Fukushima office. The mechanism will provide a continuing overview of the IAEA’s monitoring activities to the Government of the ROK.
Japan’s TEPCO started discharging ALPS treated water stored at the FDNPS into the sea on 24 August. The Agency’s two year detailed safety review of the plan for discharging the treated water concluded that the approach and activities for this discharge are consistent with relevant international safety standards and would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.
The IAEA continues to cooperate with all concerned states in relation to its safety review of the ALPS treated water discharge.
