By Kim Se-jeong
The amount of benzene found in groundwater in and around U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan in Seoul was 672 times higher than the safe amount, according to a study by a Korea-U.S. joint committee, Wednesday.
The data came a month before the property is to be handed to the Korean government.
According to the study results, up to 25.7 milligrams of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were found per liter of water in and around the base, 17 times the safe level of 1.5 milligrams per liter.
The highest amount of benzene detected was 10.077 milligrams per liter of water.
Up to 2.897 milligrams of toluene,were found, 6.4 times the recommended 0.45 milligrams and for xylene, 9.813 milligrams, 13.1 times the recommended amount.
The Korean researchers took groundwater samples from 21 spots within the garrison and 20 spots outside the garrison and tested them for TPH, benzene, toluene and xylene. All five are hazardous to human health.
"The disclosure shows water and soil pollution is still serious in and around Yongsan Garrison," said Shin Soo-yeon, an activist from Green Korea United, an NGO based in Seoul.
The result is not surprising. For years, oil contamination of the soil and groundwater in and around USAG Yongsan has been widely reported.
This rare joint study was conducted twice last year — first in January and February and again in August.
The release of the results took more than a year because the Korean government was reluctant to do so citing the Status of Forces Agreement.
Environmental activists filed a lawsuit last year against the Korean government for information disclosure and won.
"We will continue to watch what the government will do for cleanup," Shin said.
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