The government says it respects the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) that concluded that Japan's plan to release Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater meets global safety standards.

Park Gu-yeon, the first vice minister of government policy coordination, revealed the government stance during the daily government briefing on the water release on Wednesday.

Park cited the reiteration of the government’s fundamental position that it respects the conclusion by the IAEA given that the authority of the UN agency is internationally agreed upon.

He stopped short, however, of issuing an assessment on the content of the IAEA’s final report, saying only that an extensive analysis is under way.

The vice minister said that unlike other countries, South Korea has been conducting its own verification efforts for the past two years with the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety at the forefront.

He noted that such efforts are in the final stages while adding that the government will provide an explanation on the efforts together with an assessment on the IAEA report.