S. Korea bans imports of all fishery products from Fukushima region

South Korea on Friday banned imports of all marine products from Japan's Fukushima region, which has been suspected of leaking hundreds of tons of radioactive water every day.

"Imports of all fishery products from eight prefectures surrounding Japan's Fukushima, which is seriously polluted and damaged by radiation, will be banned," the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on its website.

The eight prefectures include Fukushima, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Iwate, Tochigi, Chiba and Aomori, Xinhua reports.

In the past, import bans had been imposed only on 50 fishery products from the Fukushima region, but it will be expanded to all products from now on, the ministry said.

The decision came amid mounting fears over Japan's fisheries goods among South Korean people, causing a drop in consumption of marine products.

Uncertainties escalated over the Fukushima crisis after a series of gaffes by Tokyo Electric Power, the nuclear plant operator, such as inaccurate reporting of radiation levels and failing to detect the radiation leak in the first place.

Around 300 tons of radiation-contaminated water is reportedly leaked from the melted nuclear fuel to flow into the Pacific Ocean every day. The March 2011 earthquake melted down nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant.

The ministry said the South Korean government will request additional inspection into radioactive materials if a miniscule dose of cesium is detected in any product from any region of Japan.

Seoul also planned to strengthen its radiation standard on food. The allowed cesium level on fishery products will be lowered from 370 becquerel per kilogram (Bq/kg) to 100 Bq/kg.