A defunct pipeline near the Han ruptured early Saturday morning, causing a small oil leak in the river that flows through South Korea's capital city, fire department officials said, adding that the spill has been contained.

 Authorities estimated that likely 0.5 liters of oil have escaped into the water when workers from a local garbage disposal company accidentally damaged the pipe at around 4:20 a.m. while they were collecting trash at the southern end of Seongsu Bridge.

 The leak caused a one-kilometer-long, 10-centimeter-wide oil band to form on the river.

 The fire department said it has erected an "oil fence" to prevent the spill from spreading and poured 200 liters of neutralizing agents into the water. A source at the site said the oil may be kerosene.

 The 46-kilometer-long pipeline was originally used to transport oil from the southern part of Seoul to Uijeongbu, just to the north of the capital city. The control over the pipeline that had been by the United States military up till the 1970s was subsequently handed over to South Korea in 1992. It was confirmed shut as of 1993.

 Damage control teams said that there are no further leaks. (Yonhap News)