Benzene at up to 335 times the household water standard was detected in groundwater near Yongsan Park in Seoul, where the government has been reviewing the supply of dwellings. With large amounts of benzene, a Group 1 carcinogen, being found, some say decontamination should come first before developing Yongsan Park.
According to "Results of hazardous substance surveys around the Yongsan U.S. military base" submitted by the office of Kim Wi-sang, a People Power Party member of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, to the Seoul city government on the 10th, benzene exceeding the household water quality standard of 0.015 mg/L was detected at eight groundwater survey points around Noksapyeong Station on Subway Line No. 6 in April. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies benzene as a Group 1 carcinogen.
In particular, one monitoring well showed 5.033 mg/L of benzene, about 335 times the standard. Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, which were surveyed together, were also detected at some points but did not exceed the standards.
Noksapyeong Station is located on the eastern outskirts of the Yongsan U.S. military base South Post. It is about a 10-minute walk from officers' housing and other sites within Yongsan Park where the government is reviewing the supply of dwellings.
With benzene far exceeding the standard detected in groundwater near Yongsan Park, attention is turning to the state of soil and groundwater contamination inside the park.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been reviewing the supply of public housing, focusing on areas within Yongsan Park where green space functions have been degraded. The position is to utilize the sites and, if possible, start construction within the current administration's term.
However, as contaminants have been detected in the park area until recently, there are projections that a considerable amount of time will be needed for decontamination before the actual supply of dwellings.
The Seoul city government has opposed the supply of dwellings within Yongsan Park, citing reasons such as green space conservation. It has particularly raised concerns that decontaminating soil on land used as a U.S. military base could take years.
Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, said at the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the 27th of last month, "It has been 5 years and 3 months since the contaminated soil decontamination work began at Camp Kim, but it is still ongoing," adding, "Construction will not start under this government."
There are also voices in politics that, before pushing the supply of dwellings, the priority should be to confirm whether the environment, including soil and groundwater, is suitable for living and to decontaminate pollution.
Rep. Kim Wi-sang said, "Since contaminants continue to be detected around Yongsan Base, internal contamination is expected to be more serious," adding, "Before creating residential land or parks, the proper order is to first ensure contaminants are fully decontaminated."