GREENPEACE DEMANDS THAT TAIWAN OFFICIALLY CANCELS RADIOACTIVE WASTE SHIPMENTS TO NORTH KOREA

Hong Kong 17 December 1997

Greenpeace today demanded that the Taiwan Government make official its plans to shelve Taiwan Power Company's (Taipower) planned shipments of radioactive waste to North Korea, following unconfirmed reports that the scheme has been called off.

United Daily News of Taipei yesterday reported that Taiwan's Atomic Energy Council (AEC) rejected Taipower's plan to ship radioactive waste to North Korea because of insufficient disposal facilities at the proposed site - an abandoned coal mine 90 kilometres north of Seoul.

However, sources at Taipower today told Greenpeace that it is "business as usual" and they are proceeding with their plans to export the waste to North Korea. They also said they were continuing to search for other overseas disposal sites, including the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.

"The Taiwan Government needs to clarify once and for all that this dangerous waste is not going to poverty-stricken North Korea or anywhere else outside of Taiwan," said Greenpeace spokesman Ho Wai Chi. "If the AEC has vetoed the plans, they need to instruct Taipower immediately and put an end to this immoral scheme."

Last January Taipower signed a contract with Pyongyang to ship up to 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste for permanent storage in exchange for payments of up to US$230,000,000. An initial 60,000 barrels have been earmarked for shipment to North Korea pending an export permit from AEC.

An independent investigation commissioned by Greenpeace earlier this year revealed that the waste contains highly radioactive filter masses and ion exchange resins, contrary to Taipower's claim that the barrels contain only low-level radioactive waste.

"If the North Korea waste export scheme has definitely been vetoed, we congratulate the Taiwan Government for taking the first step to ending this nuclear madness. However, we remain strongly opposed to similar shipments to other countries," stressed Ho. "This dangerous waste must stay in Taiwan, where it was generated, in on-site above-ground retrievable storage."

"Taiwan must bear responsibility for their foolish decision to base their energy requirements on nuclear power. The only safe solution is to phase out nuclear power and replace it with clean renewable energy such as solar and wind power," Ho added.

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