The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that South Korea violates the WTO regulations if it continues to sanction imports of sea yields from waters around the coastal regions near Fukushima Daiichi that had suffered nuclear meltdown following the tsunami and earthquake of 2011.

Seoul plans to appeal to hold the ban on 28 Japanese fishery products from eight Japanese provinces nearby Fukushima nuclear plant, saying it cannot take chances with potential risk to public health.

The WTO sided with Tokyo that placed complaint in 2015 by finding unfairness in Seoul for keeping up the import ban years after the nuclear disaster without strong scientific grounds. It also found Seoul’s demand for radioactive certificates for Japanese food was breach of the global sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

Countries involved in a WTO dispute can appeal and request for a second review within 60 days of the report’s release.

By Ko Jae-man and Cho Jeehyun

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