Anchor: The World Trade Organization(WTO) has ruled against South Korea's ban on Japanese seafood imports put in place following a nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011. The South Korean government said it will immediately appeal the ruling. 
Our Bae Joo-yon has more. 

Report: South Korea prohibited imports of agricultural and fish products from Fukushima and its adjacent areas after radioactive leaks following the 2011 tsunami disaster in Japan. 

And since 2013, Seoul has maintained a ban on imports of 28 fishery products from eight Japanese prefectures near Fukushima.

Japan filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization(WTO) in May 2015, accusing South Korea of discriminating against its exports.

The WTO says countries cannot ban imports to ensure food safety without scientific justification. 

On Thursday, a WTO dispute panel said South Korea’s measures were initially justified but keeping them in place violated the trade body’s sanitary and phytosanitary(SPS) agreement.

South Korea said it will immediately appeal the WTO ruling. 

In a press release, the government retorted the panel’s assessment that South Korea’s measures were discriminatory against Japanese products, overly trade restrictive and lacked transparency. 

The government said its request for Japan to submit certificates of inspection on radioactive substances for its products does not go against WTO rules. 

South Korea is not required to immediately lift its ban on fishery products from Fukushima given that the latest ruling came during a first hearing and as a final ruling is expected to come in the latter half of this year or next year. 

Either side can appeal the ruling within 60 days. 
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.