A group of some 50 civic groups on Friday called on the U.S. to thoroughly investigate its military’s recent accidental shipment of live anthrax bacteria to a U.S. Forces Korea lab and to apologize and take measures to prevent a recurrence.

The group including the Green Korea and Catholic Human Rights Committee held an outdoor press conference near the U.S. Embassy in downtown Seoul, stressing the need to “verify the truth” behind the accident.

“Koreans did not know that anthrax bacteria, which could be used to develop lethal biological weapons, have been shipped here,” the group said. “The U.S. should offer an apology for it and measures to prevent the repeat of such a case.”

On Thursday, it was revealed that a U.S. lab in Utah mistakenly sent a live sample of anthrax bacteria to labs in nine U.S. states and a lab in the USFK, which had been using dead anthrax spores. More than 20 USFK research personnel were exposed to it, but they were not infected, USFK officials said, adding they were not aware that the sample contained live bacteria.

The group also called on the U.S. and South Korea to improve what it calls the “unreasonable” status of forces agreement that governs the stationing of U.S. forces in Korea. It argued that the SOFA should make it necessary for Washington to consult with Seoul on shipments of dangerous biological and chemical materials.

Media reports surfaced Friday alleging that the USFK has run a laboratory using anthrax since 1998, amid growing public criticism of its alleged failure to consult with Seoul over its handling of the lethal pathogen.

The USFK said that it was in the process of verifying when the lab was established.

The U.S. was reported to have installed its first lab at a USFK installation, mindful of North Korea’s longtime pursuit of chemical and biological weapons, before building labs in overseas locations.

The North began research biological weapons in the early 1960s. It is thought to be capable of producing massive amounts of anthrax bacteria ― a reason why the USFK has given its troops vaccinations against anthrax since 1998.

The South Korean military currently stocks antibiotics against anthrax, and plans to develop an anthrax vaccine by 2016.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)