Local maritime police took emergency action Wednesday after crude oil spilled from a buoy -- an offshore crude oil loading facility -- installed off the coast of Ulsan, according to police and news reports.

Police said oil bands were found at around 8 a.m. about 3.6 kilometers south of Ganjeolgot, Ulju County. A local merchant ship passing through the point reported it to police, saying brown oil was floating on the sea. The oil bands were reportedly distributed hundreds of meters long and 150-200 meters wide.

The oil was found to be crude oil spilled from a buoy managed by local oil refinery S-Oil. The buoy, 15.4 meters in diameter and 5.8 meters in height, is installed at sea about 3 kilometers away from land.

Police and S-Oil are currently identifying the crude oil spills. The company said that during the Lunar New Year holiday, there had been no unloading of crude oil due to bad weather. 

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)