S. Koreans attack U.S. forces on waste<\/p>\n
SEOUL (Reuters): About 1,500 South Korean workers and students
\nprotested on Saturday against the dumping of chemicals by U.S.
\nforces into a major Seoul river.<\/p>\n
\"Apologize for the shameful act,\" shouted the demonstrators in
\nfront of a U.S. Army Garrison in Yongsan, downtown Seoul. \"Those
\nwho are responsible should be punished!\"<\/p>\n
The marchers briefly clashed with anti-riot police, who tried
\nto prevent them from moving to the garrison's main gate.<\/p>\n
Some people were beaten by the police, but there were no
\narrests nor serious injuries, witnesses and police said.<\/p>\n
The protests followed a day after the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)
\nadmitted dumping chemicals into the Han River in February. The
\nadmission followed a claim by a South Korean environmental group
\nthat such an act had taken place.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Green Korea United accused the Eighth Army
\nmortuary in the Yongsan garrison of discharging about 228 liters
\nof formaldehyde, used to prevent decomposition of human remains,
\ninto the Han River.<\/p>\n
The chemical could cause cancer and birth defects, the
\nenvironment group said.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our formal investigation, it was determined that a
\none-time release of formaldehyde in February of this year did
\noccur,\" said the USFK in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"At most 20 gallons of formaldehyde were disposed of through
\nthe wastewater sewage system on the Yongsan compound.\"<\/p>\n
But the USFK said it believed it caused no damage to the
\nenvironment after a waste treatment and dilution process that the
\ntoxic chemicals went through, adding that an investigation was
\nstill going on.<\/p>\n
Green Korea said the discharge was only the tip of iceberg.
\nSome 100 protesters from Green Korea United on Friday fired water
\nrockets into the U.S. Army garrison, demanding Thomas A.Schwartz,
\ncommander-in-chief of the USFK, issue an official apology.<\/p>\n
\"American soldiers have damaged our environment without mercy
\nsince they began to camp here 50 years ago,\" the environment
\ngroup said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The USFK has been using formaldehyde, often known as formalin,
\nto embalm the bodies of U.S. servicemen before sending them home,
\nit said.<\/p>\n
Early on Saturday morning, about 15 college students threw
\nfive bottles of red paint into the compound of the Yongsan
\ngarrison to protest the release of the chemicals in the river.<\/p>\n
Five students were taken into custody by the police.<\/p>\n
The students also demanded the South Korean government revise
\na pact governing status of American troops stationed in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
The United States has said it and South Korea will work
\ntogether to bring discussions on SOFA (Status of Forces
\nAgreement) to a mutually satisfactory conclusion. SOFA is a
\nbilateral treaty that spells out the rights and responsibilities
\nof U.S. forces in South Korea.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/s-koreans-attack-us-forces-on-waste-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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