Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which exploded Saturday as a result of Friday’s major earthquake, could face an additional hydrogen explosion, Yukio Edano, Japan’s chief government spokesman said yesterday. 

And fears of a meltdown and reports saying that up to 190 people may have been exposed to radiation has increased the concern in Korea that the explosion could affect people here. 

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety said that the incident, which led to the evacuation of 210,000 people near the plant, will not affect the Korean Peninsula. 

“There is no possibility that it will have an effect here, so there is no need for anxiety,” said Park Chang-ho, head of communications at KINS. 

But in the event of an emergency, the institute has set up a 24-hour task force that monitors radiation levels on the Korean Peninsula and collects information from the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Korea Meteorological Agency also said on Saturday that there is only a small chance of radiation spreading to Korea by air, because the westerlies, which dominate in northeastern Japan, will blow most radiation toward the Pacific Ocean.

But both KINS and the KMA are watching the situation closely. Experts say the nuclear plant is scrambling to cool its reactors by pumping seawater into the facility as a last resort to prevent a meltdown. 

Analysts in Korea said over the weekend that although the effects may be minimal right now, whether Japan will be able to keep the reactor cooled remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, a volcanic eruption was observed on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu yesterday, the second in a month, Japan’s broadcaster NHK said yesterday. The broadcast said that gas and ash from the volcano rose 4,000 meters (more than two miles) in the air.

The Korean government has had a hard time searching for missing Koreans in Japan. Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said more than a third of the 4,500 Korean nationals living in the Miyagi Prefecture, including Sendai, were confirmed to be alive. 

The ministry said yesterday that no Korean nationals were confirmed to be dead or involved in any accidents as of Sunday. 

A special response team from the Korean government arrived in Sendai yesterday and distributed emergency food and aid to 110 Korean nationals who had taken shelter at the Sendai Consulate General, said the ministry.

Naoto Takeuchi at the Japanese police headquarters in Miyagi Prefecture said yesterday that the number of casualties in the Miyagi area alone would amount to about 10,000. 

The official death count from the Japanese police has been set at about 800 as of 2 p.m. yesterday, 379 from the Miyagi Prefecture. The devastating earthquake was raised Sunday to a 9.0 magnitude by the Japan Meteorological Agency, up from its measurement of 8.8.

The Korean government has been doing what it can to aid Japan in relief efforts. President Lee Myung-bak, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, called Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan yesterday to offer his condolences for the natural disaster, and Kan, in return, thanked Lee for the help sent to Japan.

Five emergency rescue workers with two rescue dogs were sent on Saturday at Japan’s urgent request. 

More were sent to the area, as three C-130 cargo aircraft with 102 rescue workers and relief supplies were flown yesterday evening from an military airbase in Seongnam, south of Seoul, according to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Other countries have been rallying behind Japan, with the U.S. Agency for International Development sending 150 people and 12 dogs in search-and-rescue teams to Misawa, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. The EU, Australia, Russia, Singapore, Mexico and Taiwan have also pledged to aid in rescue operations, while China and Kandahar, an Afghan province, sent financial aid. 

The UN said that rescue teams from 39 other countries are on standby. Japan has deployed 100,000 personnel from its Self-Defense Forces, roughly half of its military, in restoration operations, said Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. 


By Christine Kim [christine.kim@joongang.co.kr]