Seoul City moves to probe U.S. bases over alleged contamination

Seoul City said Sunday that it would hold working-level talks with the United States Forces Korea later this month to discuss the alleged contamination in Koreans’ residential districts around Yongsan Garrison (south post) and Camp Kim (main post).

While the two parties have already held several rounds of preliminary talks to take countermeasures against the residential area around the U.S. military bases in central Seoul since the first half of 2013, the coming meeting would mark the first in which the city will demand an on-the-spot inspection into the bases, according to the city.

“The project (which was mapped out by Seoul City) was delivered the USFK via the Ministry of Environment (of Korea) in August,” a Seoul City official said.

The city carried out purification activities after oil leaks were detected around Noksapyeong Station, near the U.S. Yongsan Garrison in 2001. However, environmental advocates have continued to say that the purification was restricted as the clean-up efforts were permitted only outside the compounds.

The city also acknowledged the private criticism, sharing the view that land and water in residential areas around the two posts have shown not much improvement in quality despite the purification activities costing some 500 million won ($462,000) a year.

There is an estimated 11.7 square kilometers of oil-polluted land in the area around the Yongsan Garrison, and some 450 square meters of land near Camp Kim as well, according to the city.

The city estimated that polluted water near the Yongsan Garrison and Camp Kim came to 1,870 tons and 100 tons, respectively.

City officials noted that benzene, toluene and xylene among other chemicals were found in the underground water system.

Despite the capital pumping nearly 2,000 tons of contaminated water since 2001, pollutants were found to have remained in drainage water from the bases.

The discovery of pollutants is increasing concerns about waste disposal at U.S. bases, already heightened by concerns of possible Agent Orange contamination at camps in Korea.

Officials reiterated the urgency of preventing pollutants from entering the Hangang River.

Meanwhile, U.S. Army officials claimed that they finished a massive cleanup in 2006, regarding the areas in question near Noksapyeong Station and Camp Kim.

Seoul City was able to recover some 3.77 billion won through a suit against the government for the cleanup cost from 2001 to 2008.

Under the ROK-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement ― called SOFA ― the Korean government can investigate USFK bases only with USFK permission.

The contamination issue has also come under the spotlight among residents in Bupyeong, Incheon, around Camp Market, a U.S. military compound.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)