South Koreans protest the planned release of Fukushima wastewater during a visit by the head of IAEA

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Hundreds of people have marched in South Korea’s capital demanding Japan scrap its plans to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. The rally comes on the day the head of the United Nations’ nuclear agency met with senior Seoul officials to ease public concerns over foods safety. South Korea’s government on Friday formally endorsed the safety of the Japanese plans, saying that the contamination levels of water pumped out from the plant would be within acceptable standards. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi met South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Seoul on Saturday and plans to hold talks with opposition leaders who have harshly criticized the Japanese discharge plans.