The United States denied a white phosphorus leak at a military base in South Korea
Kyiv • UNN
The U.S. military said an investigation confirmed there had been no white phosphorus leak at Osan Air Base. The residue turned out to be harmless corrosion, and there were no injuries.
The U.S. military said Thursday that its investigation confirmed there had been no white phosphorus leak at a military base in South Korea. This came several days after local authorities urged residents to evacuate over concerns about a possible leak. The Independent reports, writes UNN.
Details
On July 28, the government of Pyeongtaek sent text messages to residents urging them to move to safe locations and avoid contact between the substance and their skin. Authorities said white phosphorus had leaked at Osan Air Base in the city, located south of the capital, Seoul.
White phosphorus is a controversial chemical substance used in incendiary munitions and smoke shells. When ignited, it burns at extremely high temperatures, can set buildings on fire and burn human tissue down to the bone.
City officials said they later canceled the evacuation warning that same day after receiving information that the U.S. military had completed decontamination work. They noted that the initial messages had been sent after consultations with the U.S. military, South Korean police and emergency services.
A statement from the U.S. military on Thursday said they had confirmed that the crystallization and residue discovered during a routine munitions inspection that day were not white phosphorus and contained no traces of it.
According to the military, further analysis showed that the residue was harmless surface corrosion caused by prolonged exposure to the environment. No one was injured.
We appreciate the close cooperation with the city to ensure the safety of our community and thank everyone for their patience while our team worked to resolve this situation
The United States has stationed approximately 28,500 military personnel in South Korea as a deterrent against possible aggressive actions by North Korea.
The U.S. military presence, as well as crimes involving American service members and the U.S. role in South Korea's turbulent modern history, has fueled anti-American sentiment among many residents of the country.
Earlier this week, eight South Korean students were detained on suspicion of illegally entering Osan Air Base while shouting anti-American slogans.