▲ F-16 fighters take off at the U.S. Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, southwest of Seoul, in this June 18, 2020, file photo. (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest statement from U.S. Air Force; ADDS byline; CHANGES dateline; TRIMS)

By Kim Seung-yeon

PYEONGTAEK/SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- A brief evacuation alert was issued Tuesday in the regional city of Pyeongtaek, home to the U.S. Forces Korea, following a report of a minor white phosphorus leak at the U.S. base that officials say posed a low risk.

Police and fire authorities said they received calls from the U.S. military at around 5:07 p.m. reporting the 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.

White phosphorus is an extremely toxic substance capable of burning human tissue down to the bone upon contact. Its military use is tightly regulated and discouraged by the international community.

The U.S. Air Force said its experts discovered residue of white phosphorus crystallization inside a munitions crate during a routine inspection of munitions, prompting the unit to immediately cordon off the area to protect the base and local residents.

"The situation is fully contained, and the cordon has been lifted," the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing said in a statement. "There are no injuries resulting from this situation and no risk to personnel on or off installation."

The Air Force unit said normal operations have resumed.

"The safety of our service members, their families and our Pyeongtaek neighbors remains our absolute highest priority," 51st Fighter Wing Commander Col. Ryan Ley said.

"We deeply appreciate your patience and cooperation as our highly trained personnel safely resolve this isolated situation," he said.

The U.S. military reportedly informed the city that the leaked substance had been roughly 80 percent diluted and that it poses a low risk to public health and the surrounding environment.

Pyeongtaek authorities subsequently lifted the evacuation advisory, about 36 minutes after the initial alert, informing residents that it was safe to return to normal after necessary measures were completed at the U.S. base.

The U.S. Air Force unit said earlier that some reports of a general evacuation of Osan Air Base were incorrect.

The leak report had prompted local authorities to send firefighters and related equipment to the scene and coordinate joint responses with the U.S. military, officials said.

Police had set up a cordon with patrol vehicles about 300 to 500 meters from the base as a precaution, and blocked civilian access and detoured traffic.

"The chemical substance, used for cleaning warheads, leaked inside the K-55 munition depot, but the U.S. military informed us that the situation is now under control and poses no danger," a police official said.

"A U.S. military explosive ordnance disposal team and our firefighters responded to the scene, and operations are now largely complete," the official said earlier.

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