Since September 2013, Seoul has banned imports of Japanese fish caught near the site of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor accident due to concerns about radioactive contamination from the plant, reports YonhapNewsAgency.
Commissioned by Seoul, a group of civilian experts launched a second round of on-spot inspections this week into Japanese fishery products to help the government decide whether to keep or ease the ban.
The official at the foreign ministry said that nothing has been decided over whether or when the Seoul government would ease the import ban, given the inspection is underway.
"If (safety) concerns are all dispelled, I believe there is the need to ease the ban in the near future," the official said, asking not to be named.
"But currently, nothing has been decided over the issue."
South Korea's ministry of food and drug safety has the final say on deciding whether to remove the ban.
