The bay salt crisis brought about by the Japanese nuclear power plant: Will it affect radish and cabbage consumption in South Korea?

[Reporter Go Seong-jin, Korea Rural Newspaper] As concerns about the supply and demand of bay salt amplify around the consumption area, there are concerns that it will affect the consumption of radish and cabbage in the highlands ahead of harvest time. In the spring of this year, production of sea salt was sluggish due to frequent rains, and with the issue of discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, the unprecedented shortage and price increase of bay salt continued throughout June. At the end of June, the average retail price of 20 kg of bay salt was 57,840 won, up 83% from 31,540 won in May. Concerned that such consumer anxiety may spread to buying refined salt (processed salt) on the market, the government is taking countermeasures by identifying trends in bay salt production areas and checking the supply of refined salt. Shinan-gun, which accounts for 80% of the country's bay salt production, announced that it will begin ...