Updated

South Korea says the United States has agreed on a joint investigation after American veterans claimed they buried large amounts of Agent Orange in a U.S. military base in South Korea.

South Korea and U.S. media recently cited former U.S. military service members saying the toxic herbicide was buried at Camp Carroll in southern South Korea in the 1970s. That raises concerns about lasting environmental damage and health risks.

KPHO CBS 5 News in Phoenix, Arizona, first reported the claims.

The prime minister's office said in a statement Sunday the investigation of the reported burial would start at an early date.

Camp Carroll is still a military base for the U.S., which has 28,500 troops in South Korea.