A former high-ranking official of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Thursday that IAEA investigation reports have reliable objectivity and credibility, apparently refuting reliability questions raised by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) about the agency’s ongoing verification of Japan’s planned release of radioactive water.
Hahn Pil-soo, a South Korean nuclear energy expert who formerly served as director of the IAEA’s radiation, transport and waste safety division, made the argument during the Seoul government’s daily media briefing on the release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. The DP and other critics have raised questions about the objectivity of the IAEA’s final report due on Japan’s planned discharge of radioactive water, pointing out Tokyo is one of the largest contributors to the international nuclear agency. Hahn’s remarks are seen as a response to the questioning of the credibility of the IAEA’s pending verification report.
The former IAEA director explained the process of the agency’s investigations and its report writing, saying there has been no controversy over its professionalism and objectivity.
“The credibility of the final report is directly related to the status of the IAEA. Thus lawyers and experts are involved to ensure that not a single word is misspelled,” he said, stressing the agency makes great efforts to produce professional, objective and reliable results.
Asked about Japan’s huge contributions to the IAEA, Hahn said member states do not demand the agency compromise on its mission, role and professionalism.
Regarding DP leader Lee Jae-myung’s mentioning of the Fukushima radioactive water as “nuclear waste water,” Hahn said the term has nothing to do with the issue, and its use will only inflict damage to local fishermen and fisheries industry people.
Source: Yonhap News Agency