The Korea–Radionuclides case addresses Korean SPS measures imposed on Japanese fishery products after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant meltdown in 2011. Japan challenged these measures as more restrictive than necessary under the SPS Agreement. The panel agreed with Japan, but this ruling was largely reversed by the Appellate Body. Korea's victory at the Appellate Body was based on procedure. The panel accepted Korea's appropriate level of protection (ALOP), which included both quantitative and qualitative elements. However, the Appellate Body found that the panel only addressed the quantitative aspect of Korea's ALOP and reversed on that basis. The Appellate Body's ruling did not affirmatively find that Korea's SPS measures were legal under WTO rules. Instead, the Appellate Body found that panel had not sufficiently addressed Korea's arguments and, thereby, the panel could not determine that the SPS measures were more restrictive than necessary. The case highlights the need for the Appellate Body to be able to conduct its own factual analysis, a power it could be given if the dispute settlement system is reformed. Without independent fact-finding power, the Appellate Body cannot correct panels’ mistakes, and respondents can prevail based on panel error.

中文翻译：

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可疑的 SPS 措施？世贸组织的韩国——放射性核素争端

这韩国-放射性核素案例涉及 2011 年福岛第一核电站熔毁后韩国对日本渔业产品实施的 SPS 措施。日本质疑这些措施的限制性超出了 SPS 协议的必要性。专家组同意日本，但这一裁决在很大程度上被上诉机构推翻。韩国在上诉机构的胜利是基于程序的。专家组接受了韩国的适当保护水平（ALOP），其中包括定量和定性要素。然而，上诉机构发现，专家组只处理了韩国 ALOP 的数量方面，并在此基础上予以撤销。上诉机构的裁决没有肯定地认定韩国的 SPS 措施在 WTO 规则下是合法的。相反，上诉机构发现专家组没有充分解决韩国问题 的论点，因此，专家组无法确定 SPS 措施的限制性超出了必要的程度。该案强调了上诉机构需要能够进行自己的事实分析，如果改革争端解决系统，它可以被赋予权力。如果没有独立的事实调查权，上诉机构就无法纠正专家组的错误，而被申请人可以根据专家组的错误获胜。