Posted March. 16, 2011 11:19,
Koreans worry that harmful radioactive materials could reach Korea after a series of explosions at a nuclear plant in Japan. Groundless rumors and myths on radiation damage have begun to spread through the Internet. One posting on the impending spread of radiation in Korea was put on Twitter Tuesday afternoon, and was further spread by Internet users. Another Twitter posting on what to do in case of a radiation accident fueled anxiety and confusion in Korea.
Most rumors on the dangers of radiation that popped up on social media sites are either groundless or exaggerated. Experts deny that radioactive materials leaked from the nuclear explosions in Japan can fly to Korea via an air current. If the materials from the Fukushima reactor were to come to Korea, winds should blow from the east. Since cold air comes from the northwest to the Korean Peninsula, it is highly unlikely that they will reach Korea. Should radiation be brought by the wind from the east, most of it would be diluted and do little damage to the human body as Korea and Fukushima are approximately 1,000 kilometers apart.
The radioactive level in Fukushima is just over 0.008Sv. All living organisms on earth are exposed to natural radiation of 0.0024Sv per year on average. People are exposed to radiation in daily life -- 0.008Sv for a CT scan, 0.003Sv for a UGI (upper gastrointestinal series) series, and 0.0003Sv for a chest X-ray. Space radiation also exists, as a passenger is exposed to 0.006Sv if he or she spends 1,000 hours on international flights. As such, people are exposed to a considerable amount of radiation every day but such exposure causes few problems. When radioactive materials enter a body through breathing or food, most of them come out through excretion.
In 2008, certain media and Internet users in Korea spread malicious rumors on mad cow disease and beef imported from the U.S., triggering candlelight vigils that paralyzed downtown Seoul for nearly three months. If a group of people intentionally spreads scientifically groundless rumors on the Japan earthquake, the Korean government should crack down on it.
Japan evacuated people within 20 kilometers from the Fukushima nuclear plant and banned flights over the reactor given the threat of another emergency like an additional explosion. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (www.kins.re.kr) is monitoring radiation levels at 72 spots and announcing the results. No abnormality in Korea has been detected. Seoul must accurately inform the public about earthquakes and accidents at nuclear plants to prevent groundless rumors that can fuel fear and anxiety.