The city of Pyeongtaek attempted several times to reach the U.S. military in Korea via a telephone hotline to confirm the reported leak of white phosphorus at Osan Air Base last month, but the calls went unanswered, city officials said Monday, raising questions about the effectiveness of the supposed hotline. The city, which hosts the Osan base located some 60 kilometers south of Seoul, attempted to reach the 51st Fighter Wing by phone three times to verify the reported leak but could not reach them at the time, the officials familiar with the matter told Yonhap News Agency. The 51st Fighter Wing at the Osan base announced the leak of white phosphorus residue inside a munitions crate during a routine inspection on July 28, prompting the host city to issue an evacuation alert for residents in the area. "We could not reach the U.S. military through the hotline," a city official said, referring to a communication channel shared between the city and the U.S. air force unit. The official said the city government made the decision to issue an emergency evacuation alert based on advice from fir