Criticizing Japan's Decision To Dump Radioactive Water Into The Sea, North Korea Says It Will Cause New Disaster

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. (Wikimedia Commons / IAEA Imagebank)

JAKARTA - North Korea on Thursday local time criticized Japan's decision to dispose of radioactive water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN).

In addition, North Korea also asked Japan to immediately cancel the decision, in order to prevent a new disaster for mankind.

"Japan will bring a new catastrophe to humanity who has suffered from a global malignant contagious disease. This decision must be reversed immediately", said the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) as reported by the Korea Times, Friday, April 16.

The KCNA said the planned release would cause large amounts of the hazardous substance to spread across much of the Pacific within days.

"It is an unpardonable criminal decision, which poses a grave threat to the health and safety of humankind and the ecological environment", continued the news outlet. The KCNA added that the decision shows the shameless and gangster-like nature of Japan.

On Wednesday, Choson Sinbo, Japan's pro-North Korean newspaper, condemned the decision, calling it a crime against humanity.

They also criticized the United States, for defending the plan, saying the decision appeared to have been made "in accordance with globally accepted nuclear safety standards". However, the KCNA did not mention the United States in the article.

Previously, South Korea had expressed firm rejection of the plan. President Moon Jae-in ordered officials to consider bringing the matter to the International Court of Law of the Sea to suspend or block the decision.

The Seoul government also pledged to proactively take part in the efforts of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to verify the safety of the measure. Apart from South Korea and North Korea, China has also expressed its objection to Japan's choice of disposal of radioactive water.

For information, Japan announced plans to dispose of about 1.3 million tons of radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The reactor building at the Fukushima nuclear power plant was damaged by a hydrogen explosion due to the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The work to release water will likely begin in about two years.