By Kim Jae-won
The United States Forces Korea (USKF) has ignored requests for an inspection of two areas inside its compounds in Seoul where environmental contamination is suspected, Seoul City officials and the Ministry of the Environment said Monday.
The two areas in question are located inside the U.S. Yongsan Garrison and on Camp Kim.
City Hall and the ministry suspect the two are the source of oil that has polluted at least 12,000 square meters of land and more than 7 million liters of underground water.
“We sent two letters ― one each in October and in April, asking USFK for cooperation but they didn’t respond,” said Hong Jeong-gi, a spokesman of the ministry.
The municipal government of Seoul said that it has sent letters to the USFK every two weeks since late March without receiving any response.
The Korean government can investigate USFK bases only with USFK permission, according to the ROK-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
“We even visited the American forces’ bases and asked for their help but the USFK declined, saying the Seoul city has no authority to do so,” said Bae Gwang-han, a director in the municipal government of the capital city.
Representatives of the USFK did not respond to repeated calls from The Korea Times.
Land and water pollution by America forces here has drawn criticism since 2001 when a first oil spill was reported.
According to Rep. Jang Ha-na of the main opposition Democratic Party, more than 1,430 mg of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) per liter were detected in underground water in the neighborhood of Camp Kim in Galwol, Seoul in 2011, exceeding acceptable levels by 958 times.
Pollution from U.S. bases is an emotional issue for Koreans, and inspired movie director Bong Joon-ho to make “The Host,” a 2006 film based on the story of chemical dumping by a Korean contractor employed at a U.S. base. In the film, the chemicals dumped in the Han River created a monster.