South Korea sea salt prices spike amid fears of Fukushima wastewater

Buyers appear to be hoarding before Japan releases treated water off Pacific coast

20230616N korean salt KYODO

Some places in South Korea have seen sea salt prices rise 32% since December. © Kyodo

TETSUYA FUJITA, Nikkei Seoul bureau chief

SEOUL -- Sea salt prices in South Korea have climbed sharply in the past six months, with reports of panic buying ahead of Japan's planned discharge of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

In Sinan county, a coastal area on the Yellow Sea that produces roughly 80% of South Korea's sun-dried sea salt, the weekly average retail price has climbed 32% from December to this month.

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