S. Korean fishermen hold maritime rally against Japan's nuke wastewater discharge plan

SEOUL, July 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korean fishermen on Friday held a maritime protest rally against Japan's planned discharge of contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean.

A group of local fishermen gathered on the seashore of the southwestern coastal county of Jangheung, carrying a rally called "flower bier" about 200 meters along the coast to protest against the contaminated water release plan.

"The flower bier is used for a (traditional) ritual to carry coffins when people die. We marched with the flower bier to say that if the Fukushima nuclear wastewater is released into the ocean, all humankind will die," Kim Young-chul, executive chief of the Federation of Korean Fishermen's Associations, told Xinhua by phone.

The placard of "oppose discharging Fukushima nuclear contaminated water" was attached to both sides of the bier carried by the fishermen, Kim said.

The same placards were also hung on the sides of about 30 fishing boats that staged a maritime demonstration in waters off the county for some half an hour.

"I'd like to ask questions to the Japanese government. Why is it seeking to release the contaminated water into the ocean if the water is really safe as Japan claimed? Why is it seeking to dump it through a one-kilometer-long tunnel after dilution if the water is safe enough to drink?" said Kim.

He noted that if it is a really safe and edible water, Japan can just choose to use it inside its territory for agricultural, industrial and drinking purposes.

Japan has been pushing for dumping the contaminated wastewater this summer from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was hit by a massive earthquake and an ensuing tsunami in March 2011.

The move has aroused strong opposition and doubts from domestic fishing groups, neighboring countries and the South Pacific island countries, as well as the international community.