PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, July 28 (Yonhap) -- An emergency alert was issued in the regional city of Pyeongtaek on Tuesday hosting the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) after police received a report of a suspected white phosphorus leak at the U.S. military base, city officials said.

Police received a 112 call at around 5:07 p.m. reporting the suspected leak of the toxic chemical substance at the K-55 U.S. Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul.

The Pyeongtaek city government issued the alert notifying the public of the possible white phosphorus leak and advising residents nearby to evacuate to a safe location to prevent skin exposure.

"It is true that a report came in from the U.S. military side, but we have yet to confirm exact details," a police official said.

A USFK official declined to comment, saying they were assessing the situation.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]