Emergency Evacuations Following White Phosphorus Leak at U.S. Osan Air Base

South Korean authorities ordered neighborhood evacuations after a white phosphorus leak at the U.S. Osan Air Base. No casualties occurred, and the evacuation was lifted within 30 minutes. The base established a safety cordon for protection, and decontamination efforts were initiated. The leak's nature remains unconfirmed.

Emergency evacuations were briefly ordered by South Korean authorities after a leak of white phosphorus at the U.S. Osan Air Base, located south of Seoul. The Safety Ministry confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

The evacuation notice was lifted within 30 minutes as South Korean fire authorities and U.S. forces collaborated on decontamination efforts. No casualties were reported, according to Yonhap news agency.

The U.S. Osan Air Base stated that a 1,000-foot safety cordon was established "out of an abundance of caution" to protect both base personnel and the local population. The precise nature of the leak has yet to be confirmed by base officials.