Tens of thousands of liters of jet fuel spill at US bases in Gunsan, Osan

By Jun Sung-min Posted : February 19, 2026, 15:26 Updated : February 19, 2026, 15:28
An attack aircraft is parked at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in this undated file photo. Yonhap
SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -  More than 40,000 liters of fighter jet fuel spilled at a U.S. Air Force base in the southwestern city of Gunsan last month, while a similar spill occurred at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province earlier this month, U.S. Forces Korea said on Thursday.

According to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), the U.S. Air Force's 8th Fighter Wing detected a leak of about 41,600 liters of jet fuel from a fuel tank in an accident on Jan. 26 at Gunsan.

There was reportedly no risk to the health or safety of nearby residents and communities, as the spill was cleaned up immediately.

About 10 days later, a separate fuel spill was reported at Osan Air Base, home to the U.S. Air Force's 51st Fighter Wing. The spill occurred on Feb. 5 inside the base, and cleanup work is still ongoing, with about 870 liters recovered as of last week.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), U.S. military bases in South Korea are provided by the South Korean government, which retains ownership of the land and facilities while granting the U.S. military the right to use them.

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