Saturday, June 30, 2018

Pollution Left by US Armed Forces


Overhead photo of Yongsan in Seoul Korea shown with hazardous hydrocarbon spill sites. JTBC News June 30

JTBC is reporting 84 recorded incidents of diesel and JP spills at the former Yongsan base. Benzene levels in the water table are 162 times safe limits. It's clear from the MOU on environmental impact remedial measures agreed to by the US under the SOFA, that something needs to be done to correct the situation.

It is reported that Camp Long at Wonju, South Korea, has been closed for seven years and entry is not permitted there because of pollution. US military facilities in S.Korea that are contaminated with hydrocarbons will take years and millions of dollars to clean up. Historically, Camp Hialeah took about 13 million dollars and four years to clean up. Camp Castle in Tongduchan will take at least four years to clean up. People living in the surrounding community report that food grown in the area is inedible due to ground water pollution.

"The South Korean government has decided to effectively give up asking the US military to clean up contamination at Camp Long, a base in Wonju, Gangwon Province, that remains 'US land' seven years after its closure, as environmental talks with the US have dragged out."

South Korea effectively gives up on getting US to clean up returned military base in Wonju
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/805052.html



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