By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, April 6 (Yonhap) -- Chances are slim that the Korean Peninsula will be directly affected by radioactive particles from a crippled Japanese nuclear plant this week, South Korea's state weather agency said Wednesday, easing radiation fears here amid forecasts of imminent heavy rain.

   The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)'s announcement marked a turnaround from its earlier prediction that traces of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station may be carried to the peninsula by seasonal winds.

   "Air currents with the height of 1 to 4 kilometers near Fukushima are expected to circle clockwise along with the movement of high pressure, move toward the east and be released in the direction of the Pacific Ocean," KMA spokesman Kim Seung-bae told a press briefing, citing the latest analysis results.

   Concerns about radiation exposure have deepened in South Korea since the KMA raised the possibility earlier this week that radioactive materials may soon reach the peninsula by southeasterly winds. Heavy rain is expected here around Thursday.

   "There seems to have been a misunderstanding in the process of interpreting (an analysis of air currents)," Kim added.

   But the South Korean authorities vowed to step up monitoring of radiation levels in the nation, particularly on the southern resort island of Jeju, in case the air currents change direction and head toward Korea.

   "Even if radioactive materials flow into South Korea, the impact will be minimal. Still, we will strengthen the radiation monitoring system as part of efforts to ease people's concerns," said Yoon Chul-ho, director of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS).

   Radiation levels on the southern resort island of Jeju, which is the closet island to Japan, stayed within a normal range as of Wednesday, according to the institute.

   The KMA said that it has held three artificial rain tests in the country's eastern and central regions of Gangwon and Chungcheong this year, refuting claims that the "secret" experiments were aimed at protecting the country from radioactive contamination.

   The first test was conducted on Feb. 28, weeks before the powerful earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on March 11 damaged the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, according to the agency. The last two experiments, conducted on March 14 and 25, have sparked suspicions that they were intended to block the radiation wave stemming from Japan. Another test was originally scheduled for April 2 but was canceled due to bad weather conditions, the agency said.

   "The artificial rain tests have been carried out every year to secure technology to increase water resources in the Yongpyeong area and to understand the principle of clouds," said an official at the KMA. "They were not specially designed to block the radioactivity."

   The KMA had 18 artificial rain tests from 2008-2010, according to the agency's data.

   ejkim@yna.co.kr
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