|
|
Change Your Life! |
U.S. military admits dumping toxic chemical into river |
|||
|
News
|
||||
July 15, 2000
SEOUL (AP) - The U.S. military on Friday admitted dumping a hazardous chemical into Seoul's Han River as civic activists demanded a stricter environmental monitoring on American military facilities. An investigation determined a one-time release of 20 gallons (75.7 liters) of formaldehyde in February through a sewage system at the U.S. military's main compound in Yongsan, central Seoul. "The U.S. Forces Korea regrets that this event occurred and will continue to strive to comply with all U.S. and South Korean environmental requirements," the U.S. military command said in a news release. A South Korean environmental group, Green Korea, accused a U.S. Army mortuary on Thursday of dumping 59.3 gallons (228 liters) of the chemical down the drain that goes to the river on Feb. 9. The U.S. command said its investigation was continuing. The Korean group said if people are exposed to the chemical for a long period of time, it could cause lung cancer. When dissolved into water, it could kill fish and other aquatic creatures, it said. The U.S. command believed the chemical caused no damage to the environment as it received waste treatment in sewage systems and got diluted with wastewater. But it promised to prevent a recurrence of similar dumping, the command said. Green Korea accused the U.S. military of flouting South Korea's environmental regulations and demanded that those responsible for the dumping be punished. A group of civic activists planned to hold a protest rally in front of the Yongsan military compound later Friday. The protest comes as the United States and South Korea were poised to resume talks in early August on revising a controversial defense agreement. Many South Koreans believe that some provisions of the agreement infringe upon their country's sovereignty, and the view gains currency every time U.S. soldiers are suspected of crimes against South Koreans. South Korea wants the agreement revised to allow it bigger legal jurisdiction over 37,000 U.S. military personnel stationed here and their facilities, including early Korean custody of U.S. soldiers in criminal cases. Talks have stalled since late 1996. The American troops are stationed in South Korea to deal with military threats from communist North Korea. Washington has similar agreements with dozens of countries where it has troops.
|
