Korean Lawmakers Want SOFA Revision After Anthrax Scare
It figures the SOFA would come up in response to the anthrax scare at Osan AB:
South Korea is considering revising its military agreement with the U.S. to prevent another accidental shipment of live anthrax to the South, a ruling party lawmaker said Monday.
Safety jitters over biological weapons flared up after the U.S. military said last month a U.S. Defense Department laboratory had mistakenly sent a live anthrax sample to the U.S. Forces Korea’s Osan Air Base, south of Seoul.
Public concerns did not subside despite the USFK announcement that the sample was destroyed before inflicting any damage.
“(The government and the ruling party) decided to review necessary enhancement and supplement measures after determining whether there is a problem in the management and process of the Status of Forces Agreement,” Saenuri Party Rep. Won Yoo-chul said after a policy coordination meeting with Vice Defense Minister Baek Seung-joo. Seoul will discuss any revisions at a joint SOFA committee meeting with the U.S., planned for July, the lawmaker said. [Korea Herald]
You can read more at the link.
At the same time there is now a real contagious health concern in Korea; MERS — Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. As of today there are 25 confirmed cases in Korea and 2 fatalities.
Those of us who have been here for a while know that under normal circumstances too many people still cough and sneeze among other people without covering their mouths. Then when their is a national health alert many go to the opposite extreme and will only go out wearing surgical masks. 🙄