South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung (bottom center) participates in a rally to demand the stop of the Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea and denounce the South Korean government's policy in Seoul, South Korea, Sept 2, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

SEOUL / TOKYO - Lee Jae-myung, leader of the South Korean main opposition Democratic Party, on Monday urged Japan to stop dumping radioactive wastewater into the ocean as Tokyo allocates more funds to support its embattled fishing industry.

Lee made the remark during a meeting with global experts and activists, including those from Japan and the United States, who participated both online and offline at the parliamentary building in Seoul.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday the government would allocate an additional 20.7 billion yen ($141.41 million) to support the fisheries industry after Tokyo's decision to dump radioactive wastewater into the ocean

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"The ocean of humanity and the safety of people around the world is put in danger. Despite fierce opposition from neighboring countries and even Japanese people, the Japanese government has been doing an unprecedented job in human history of dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean," Lee said.

Lee stressed that the marine dumping was in clear violation of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter in 1972.

"Japan should immediately stop dumping the nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean. Our (South Korean) government should file a complaint with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea against Japan," Lee noted.

Lee condemned the US duplicity as Washington supported the marine dumping outwardly while decreasing import of Japanese agricultural and fishery products, calling for the international community to gather strength and protect the ocean together.

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Japan started releasing the first batch of radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Aug 24.

Struck by a massive earthquake and an ensuing tsunami in March 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant suffered core meltdowns and generated a massive amount of water tainted with radioactive substances from cooling down the nuclear fuel.

Additional funds

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday the government would allocate an additional 20.7 billion yen ($141.41 million) to support the fisheries industry after Tokyo's decision to dump radioactive wastewater into the ocean.

The government had previously set up two funds worth 80 billion yen to help develop new markets and keep excess fish frozen until they can be sold when demand recovers, among other measures.

With the additional funding, from budget reserves, support would total 100.7 billion yen, Kishida said.

With Reuters inputs