MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--When Jeong Rak-sun lists the things she loves about her adopted hometown, tears well in her eyes. She knows that a big obstacle remains on her path to return home for good.
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--When Jeong Rak-sun lists the things she loves about her adopted hometown, tears well in her eyes. She knows that a big obstacle remains on her path to return home for good.
"I hate the nuclear power plant," she said.
Jeong, known locally as "Raku-chan," was among a group of evacuees who briefly visited their homes in Minami-Soma on June 8 within the 20-kilometer no-entry zone from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Jeong, 53, was born in South Korea and moved to Minami-Soma 17 years ago after marrying Hiroyuki Miura, 59.
Jeong settled in the city and even became somewhat of a celebrity.
But radiation leaking from the crippled nuclear plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. forced Jeong and Miura to live in an evacuation center in Yamagata Prefecture.
For their trip home on June 8, they asked an acquaintance to take care of their 11-year-old son, Yasuyuki.
Evacuees from various areas gathered at the Baji-koen equestrian park in the city where they boarded five buses. After a long separation, Jeong and a friend hugged each other at the park.
"I want to come back if we are allowed to move into provisional housing," Jeong said.
Soon after marrying Miura, Jeong set up a booth to display her home-made "kimchi" pickled vegetables at a local festival. It proved very popular.
Her kimchi, using Chinese cabbage grown by her husband, grew into the brand "Raku-chan's kimchi," and became a big seller at local supermarkets.
"Customers supported me and my kimchi a lot," she said. "I have been receiving calls asking how I am doing even after the earthquake."
After the two-hour visit home, Jeong had mixed emotions.
"Our cat was meowing helplessly," she said. "It ran after our bus."
She also said she was discouraged by the "weeds running rampant around our house."
Only about 150 people of the 4,000 wanting to return home briefly in the no-entry zone can do so at a time.