Environmental activists said Thursday local environmental groups are calling for a formal apology from U.S. military authorities and criminal punishment to be taken against those responsible for the suspected oil leaks in central Seoul.
Green Korea United and the Korean Federation for Environment Movement South Korea's two leading environmental organizations, called for a thorough investigation into the incident that resulted in the contamination of soil and underground water near Seoul's Noksapyong subway station, which is located 150 meters away from a major USFK base.
The move comes after Wednesday's news reports that pointed to the oil leakage from the Yongsan base of the United States Forces in Korea (USFK) as the probable source of pollution, citing a USFK report submitted to Seoul city hall.
According to the report, the Eighth U.S. Army detected gasoline in soil near eight of the 13 oil tanks and gas stations located inside the Yongsan base.
The samples, bearing the same characteristics as gasoline used by the USFK, were collected from depths of between five and 17 meters.