Rep. Kim Jin-pyo: "Suwon Military Airport Stores Depleted Uranium Ammunition That Causes Leukemia and Cancer"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] The U.S. Air Force stores approximately 1.33 million rounds of depleted uranium ammunition at the military airport in Suwon and Hwaseong (10th Combat Fighter Wing of the ROK Air Force), while bearing no responsibility for any resulting damage. In the event of an accident such as an ammunition depot explosion, the number of affected households in the Suwon and Hwaseong area is estimated to reach a minimum of approximately 20,000 households.

According to the office of Rep. Kim Jin-pyo (Democratic Party), a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee on the 15th, approximately 1.8 million rounds of depleted uranium ammunition are currently stored at the Suwon 10th Combat Fighter Wing ammunition depot and Osan Air Base. Of these, approximately 1.33 million rounds are stored at Suwon, which is managed by the ROK Air Force.

Depleted uranium ammunition consists of shells with warheads made of depleted uranium, a byproduct from the uranium enrichment process for nuclear weapons and reactors. After its first use in the 1991 Gulf War, it has faced criticism for causing mass outbreaks of leukemia and cancer patients, and has been designated by the international community as an inhumane weapon. In particular, the 10th Combat Fighter Wing ammunition depot had the highest number of safety distance violations (48 cases) among military airports nationwide in a 2016 survey.

Within a 5km radius of the ammunition depot are △Suwon I'Park City 3 Complex (793 households) △Suwon I'Park City 2 Complex (1,135 households) △Suwon I'Park City 7 Complex (1,596 households) △Gwonseon I'Park Cheongna e-Pyunghansesang (1,753 households) △Youngtong I'Park Castle 2 Complex (1,162 households) △Hwaseong Taean Public Housing (1,044 households) △Hillstate Youngtong (2,140 households) △Sindongtan SK Parkview 1-3 phases (4,249 households), and other major apartment complexes, as well as Suwon Bus Terminal and Suwon City Hall. Calculating only major complexes totals 16,017 households, and estimates suggest that including smaller complexes, the total will exceed 20,000 households.

In particular, the closest Suwon I'Park City 5 Complex (1,152 households) is only 2.3km in direct distance from the ammunition depot.

Rep. Kim Jin-pyo stated, "The existence of such a military facility with high explosion risk must be accurately communicated to local residents and strictly regulated during building permit procedures, but in reality this is not happening," adding "Most citizens of Suwon and Hwaseong are left unprotected from the dangerous ammunition depot."

Even if an explosion accident occurs, the U.S. military bears no responsibility for human and material losses. This is in accordance with the "Agreement between the Republic of Korea Air Force and the United States Air Force Regarding Storage of United States Air Force Ammunition within the Republic of Korea Air Force Ammunition Facilities" (hereinafter referred to as the Magnum Agreement), first concluded in 1975.

The agreement stipulates: "The United States Government shall not be responsible for any injury or damage to authorized personnel residing or entering in the designated hazardous explosive areas, nor shall it be responsible for any damage to property or human life built or authorized to enter within the hazardous explosive areas."

Our military manages and maintains the depleted uranium ammunition in accordance with this agreement. While claimed to be harmless to the human body, radiation is detected, so radiation dose measurements are conducted quarterly for personnel in charge and health checkups are performed annually. Despite bearing considerable risk, our military effectively pays the associated costs.

The ROK Air Force bills the U.S. military monthly for storage and management service fees, amounting to approximately 7 billion won annually. Originally, service fees were received from the U.S. military, but with the conclusion of the Special Agreement on Defense Cost-Sharing in 1991, subsequent fees have been offset against our defense cost-sharing contribution to the United States. In essence, on Korean soil, with our military, and using our funds, we are protecting American uranium ammunition.

Rep. Kim stated, "There is a need to either strengthen safety measures or revise the agreement in a direction that firmly establishes U.S. responsibility for compensation," and emphasized, "We must also establish a joint Korea-U.S. investigation team to carefully examine when the ammunition's usage deadline expires and whether it can be relocated to other locations."