South Korea elected as Chairman of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Japan nuclear sewage discharges to sea again attracts attention
According to Korean media reports, South Korea was elected as the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Council.
The impact of South Korea election on the sewage discharge from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has also attracted much attention.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that in the IAEA Board of Governors meeting held in Vienna, Austria on the 27th, the member states of the Board of Directors unanimously elected South Korea as the chairman of the next IAEA Board of Governors.
Shin Jae-hyun, South Korea’s ambassador to Austria, served as the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors for a year from that day to September next year.
This is South Korea’s first chairmanship of the Council since it became a founding member of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1957.
It is reported that the rotating presidency is held by eight regions in turn. South Korea Far East has held this position 7 times so far, 6 of which have been held by Japan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea stated that South Korea, as a model country for nuclear non-proliferation, was selected as the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors, reflecting South Korea’s positive contributions to the agency for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Korean media pointed out that South Korea election as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency will have an impact on the sewage discharge from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Relevant people said that the chairman of the board of directors must maintain neutrality and objectivity, so it is difficult to exercise influence.
However, the President of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors will preside over 5 regular board meetings during the year, and is responsible for pre-negotiations on major issues before the meetings to coordinate the positions of member states.
The analysis believes that in the process of preparing the council, the chairman of the council can understand the positions of other member states in advance, and the international community may have a more active discussion on the issue of Fukushima sewage discharge in the process.