Clumps of tar and slicks were spotted up to 130 kilometres south of the scene of the spill in the Yellow Sea, Coast Guard officials said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Clumps of tar and slicks were spotted up to 130 kilometres south of the scene of the spill in the Yellow Sea, Coast Guard officials said.

A tanker spilled some 10,500 tonnes of crude oil off Taean county on the west coast on Dec 7 after being holed by a drifting barge carrying a crane.

Navy ships are battling to disperse the oil near four islands, while salvage workers and fishermen have begun work to protect sea farms from contamination, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Coast Guard also said it had set up more booms at the mouth of Cheonsu Bay, south of Taean, to protect the habitat for migratory birds.

Much of the oil which coated beaches in Taean was being removed by tens of thousands of volunteers, police and troops.

On Monday, some 37,000 people, 828 ships and 18 aircraft were combating the spill.

Marine authorities said they had begun studying the potential impact of the oil on residents, fishermen and sea farms, and environmentalists have said it may take decades to recover fully from the disaster.

On Sunday, Seoul said it would provide 30 billion won (S$47 million) in emergency aid to residents of the disaster-hit area by the end of next month.

Separately, the government has also offered up to 300 billion won in emergency funds to support small businesses and marine farmers.

The European Union, the United Nations and Japan have despatched environmental experts to assist the cleanup. Aid has also come from Singapore, China and the United States. -- AFP