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SEOUL, -- South Korean officials say an inspection is under way at former U.S. military bases to see if they are contaminated with dangerous chemicals.
The Gyeonggi Institute of Health and Environment, a body under the Gyeonggi provincial government in Gyeonggi Province, said it would check for dioxin in water and soil around 28 U.S. military bases in the province.
The decision to look for dangerous chemicals follows recent claims that American soldiers dumped large amounts of toxic chemicals in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.
Retired U.S. soldiers have said chemicals were dumped at Camp Carroll, about 200 miles southeast of Seoul, and Camp Mercer in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, prompting the investigations.
The Camp Mercer investigation is now under way and the inspection at Camp Carroll and the other sites will follow, officials said.
"To actually inspect inside the U.S. bases, we would need to consult with the U.S. forces under the Status of Forces Agreement," an official said, referring to a legal code governing American troops stationed in South Korea. "For the time being, we will check upon areas that we can inspect independently."
The U.S. has 93 military bases in South Korea, 51 of them are located in Gyeonggi. Officials said it usually takes about 30 days to test samples for dioxin.