A vendor at Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul's Dongjak District stands in front of her store, Friday. The market has seen a sharp decline in visitors due to the public's reluctance to consume seafood after Japan started releasing treated wastewater from a damaged nuclear power plant into the ocean in late August. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Seoul's Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market usually bustles with customers this time of year, purchasing seafood for the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

But the popular market was unusually quiet on a recent Friday.

"This is the worst I've ever seen," a vendor who has worked there for over 20 years told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.

Amid a growing reluctance to consume seafood triggered by Japan's discharge of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant starting Aug. 24, hard-hit local merchants are struggling to dispel fears and win back customers.

"There are so few people coming here it's ridiculous. We're receiving not even half the customers we used to see," the vendor said, pointing to the radioactive wastewater issue ― compounded by a slow economy ― as the key reasons behind the latest developments.

Another seafood merchant, who has been at Noryangjin for over 30 years, explained that store owners are now labeling their seafood products to show where they came from in order to dispel fears.

"Several visitors asked me when and where the fish was caught," she said. The vendor added that there is a noticeable preference now for frozen fish caught prior to the wastewater discharge.

Confirming the sharp decline in the number of visitors, she said, "I've never seen things get this bad here in 30 years. Honestly, I don't know what to say."

Visitors buy dried seafood products in Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

A recent survey also reveals the level of public jitters toward seafood consumption.

Over seven out of 10 Koreans believe and are concerned that the release of wastewater from Fukushima could contaminate Korean waters and seafood, according to Gallup Korea on Friday, which surveyed 1,002 Korean adults.

Over half of the conservative respondents, including people aged over 70 and supporters of the ruling People Power Party who are likely to favor the incumbent administration, also said they are concerned about the wastewater discharge.

The Korean government has been trying to alleviate public concerns about the safety of seafood, but the public remains skeptical.

On Thursday, President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the market to encourage local vendors and purchased local seafood which he ate there to encourage consumers to return.

His gesture, however, was met with skepticism by the vendors.

Merchants at the market who spoke to The Korea Times said Yoon's visit was pointless and urged the government to take concrete countermeasures to support the hard-hit fisheries industry.

Vendors at Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in southern Seoul's Dongjak District receive customers, Friday. The market has seen a sharp decline in visitors since Japan began dumping wastewater in late August. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Despite the widespread concerns, some loyal customers continue to frequent the seafood market, but seem to display a bit more caution now.

Lee, a 73-year-old from Seongdong District who has been shopping for seafood at Noryangjin for years, said her family refrained from eating seafood this week because of safety concerns caused by the wastewater discharge. However, she came to buy cutlassfish, which is in season, and fry it up for her grandchildren.

"My family and I always have it (cutlassfish) around this time of the year, so I couldn't help but come here to buy it," she said. "We know how delicious it is and we'll just eat it." She added that she plans to consume more local seafood before the wastewater spreads to domestic waters in the next few years.

The vendors, to win back reluctant customers, are putting their seafood products through more radioactivity checks, according to Cha Deok-ho, president of the merchants' association at Noryangjin. He added that the products have all passed the inspections, continuing to be verified as safe.

Placards hanging outside the market reinforce this message and urge the government to take measures to protect the Korean fishing industry.

Amid concerns over seafood safety, many consumers are expected to turn to alternative food options.

Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer science at Inha University, predicted that meat will likely become a more popular choice than seafood for this year's Chuseok holiday due to concerns about the Fukushima wastewater.

She added that consumer confidence in seafood might rebound only if radiation tests can reliably show that local seafood products are safe for consumption.

A vendor of salted seafood sits at her store at Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk