▲ Rep. Ha Tae-keung, who leads the ruling People Power Party's special committee on civic group advancement, speaks during a meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, on July 11, 2023. (Yonhap)

PPP-Fukushima civic groups

Civic coalition behind mad cow protests is now leading Fukushima protests, ex-activist claims

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- A civic coalition leading protests against Japan's planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant is almost identical to the one that led anti-government protests over mad cow disease fears in 2008, a former civic activist claimed Tuesday.

Min Kyung-woo, a formerly left-leaning activist who led nationwide mad cow protests before breaking away from liberal ideals, made the claim during a discussion organized by the ruling People Power Party (PPP), citing similarities in their human and organizational makeup.

"I think the two organizations are more than 80 percent identical," he said.

Min said these organizations are prone to using groundless rumors to rally public support for their causes, a point the PPP is trying to hammer home amid continuing protests against the Fukushima discharge despite assurances from scientists that its effects on South Korea will be negligible.

During the 2008 protests, many South Koreans took to the streets in protest of the then Lee Myung-bak administration's decision to resume U.S. beef imports amid rumors that consuming American beef would result in serious health problems, such as holes in the brain and even death.

Such rumors have been debunked and South Korea is now one of the biggest importers of American beef.

The PPP suggested the government form a special task force to fight false rumors over the Fukushima release plan, as it did during the Roh Moo-hyun administration to tackle false claims on the impact of the free trade agreement with the U.S.

It also requested daily safety inspections of seafood sold in both the wholesale and retail markets, which the oceans ministry agreed to carry out starting by the end of July.

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