Is It Safe to be in Korea? Japanese Radiation Terror Edition

Dear Korean,

We are planning to travel in June to Korea. I was wondering if the current reactor problems are causing issues in Korea.

KoreaMom to 3

The official story is that while there is more radiation in the air than usual, it is not at the level to cause any health effects. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology set up an automated monitor of radiation over Korea, which has been showing normal numbers.

But people are understandably freaking out a little, especially because it rained over Korea a few days ago. A number of schools closed, and a lot of outdoor sporting events, including pro baseball games, were cancelled. The traffic jam was worse than usual because many people drove their cars to work instead of taking the subway.

It is not as if the Korean is a nuclear scientist, so he cannot say if the radiation level in Korea is truly unsafe. The bungling response by the Japanese utility company that operates the nuclear power plant is none too comforting either. But the Korean is more inclined to trust the official reports that the radiation level is safe. He would just be prudent and avoid the rain, and maybe avoid seafood. By the next month, this whole thing will probably blow over.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.