The presidential office slammed the main opposition Democratic Party on Friday for its “false instigation” over the potential risks of contaminated water released over the past year from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.

The government announced earlier this week that radioactive levels in the country’s waters, fisheries and ballast waters never exceeded the safety limit in the year since Japan began releasing treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean in August last year.

“The absurd myths with no scientific grounds were proven to be false instigation,” presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon said during a press briefing. “The opposition party, which was the source of the myths, is showing an irresponsible attitude without even an apology to the people.”

Jeong claimed the government could have saved 1.6 trillion won (US$1.2 billion) had the opposition party not stoked fears about the radioactive water, and spent it instead on helping the needy.

“We hope (the opposition party) w
ill promise to stop the instigation dividing the people and apologize before the people even now,” she said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency