S. Korea expresses concern about oil spill off China's northeast coast

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea expressed concern Tuesday about an oil spill off China's northeast coast, calling for Beijing to swiftly provide information on a leaking rig off the Gulf of Bohai, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea adjacent to the South.
An unspecified amount of oil has leaked from the rig operated by China's largest offshore energy producer, the China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC), since mid-June, but the CNOOC confirmed the incident early this month. China's media recently said the situation was under control.
"We have asked the Chinese government to provide details on the oil spill, including how much oil has leaked and why the incident happened," Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae told reporters.
"I think it would be conscientious of China to provide immediate information on the matter and possible outcomes to neighboring nations," Cho said.
South Korea is considering holding a regular environmental meeting with China earlier than scheduled this year in the wake of the oil spill, Cho said.
Still, it is unclear why the oil spill happened. On Monday, China's Xinhua news agency said its State Oceanic Administration has urged investigators to speed up the handling of the oil leak at the offshore oil field in the Gulf of Bohai.
The Penglai 19-3 oil field was jointly developed by U.S.-based ConocoPhillips China and CNOOC.