Korean imports of Japanese fishery products have dropped in the past week due to consumer concerns over their possible contamination with radiation and disruptions in supply in the neighboring country, the customs office said Tuesday.

Before the 9.0-magnitude quake struck Japan on March 11, Korea’s daily weekday imports of fishery products from the country averaged $3.4 million, according to the Korea Customs Service.

However, the comparable figure dropped to $2.78 million between March 14 and 18, the customs office said.

The figure fell further after media reports over growing evidence of radiation in vegetables and milk produced in regions near the quake-battered Fukushima nuclear power complex.

Last weekend, imports of fishery goods from Japan reached $255,000, far below the average weekend imports of $584,000, according to the office.

The office attributed the decline in imports of Japanese fishery goods to growing fears over possible radiation contamination of Japanese fishery goods.

Meanwhile, Korean retailers said early this week that they will suspend imports of some foods and products from Japan due to concerns over radiation contamination.

Lotte Mart Co., Korea’s third-largest discount store chain, said earlier it will not sell pollack that have mainly been imported from Japan.

E-Mart Co., the nation’s largest discount store chain, said it will only sell products that have been confirmed as safe from radioactive contamination.

Shinsegae Department Store, the country’s third-largest department store, said it stopped imports of fishery products from Japan shortly after the earthquake. 

(Yonhap News)