Pyeongtaek: South Korean authorities on Tuesday detained eight members of a liberal student group after they attempted to enter a US air base south of the capital Seoul, local media reported. The student activists were detained at K-55 Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing South Korean police.

According to Anadolu Agency, the activists, who are all members of the Korean Progressive University Student Union (KPUSU), breached the base's main gate. Six of them managed to enter the compound while chanting anti-US slogans, particularly opposing the US 7th Air Force, whereas two others were stopped at the entrance. US Forces Korea (USFK) detained the group before transferring them to South Korean police for further investigation.

The KPUSU later announced on social media that the protest was linked to their claim that US forces were obstructing South Korea's planned semiconductor manufacturing cluster in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The South Korean government has designated a military airport in Gwangju as the location for the proposed chip production hub. However, the US military has expressed concerns that relocating the airport might affect its military interests.

Additionally, the student group cited a recent white phosphorus leak at Osan Air Base as another reason for their demonstration. This incident has added to the tensions surrounding the presence of US military forces in South Korea.