S. Korea shifts site of anti-N Korea US missile system

TIL Desk/World/Seoul-South Korea today formally announced a new location for deploying a North Korea-focused US anti-missile defence system, after vocal protests from local residents over potential health and environmental hazards. Seoul and Washington agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the South after North Korea conducted a series of missile tests in the wake of its fourth nuclear test in January.

The decision was condemned by Pyongyang and also caused a damaging rift between Seoul and Beijing, which sees the deployment as a US bid to flex its military muscle in the region and undermine China’s own missile capabilities. There was also a strong domestic reaction in South Korea, particularly from people living near an existing missile base in the rural county of Seongju — 275 kilometres southeast of Seoul — where the first THAAD battery was to be installed.

Residents said the system’s powerful radar would pose health and environmental hazards and argued that its presence would make them a priority target for the North Korean military. The Defence Ministry said Friday that the site would be shifted 18 kilometres to the north of the air base to a golf course owned by the giant Lotte Group retail chain. The ministry said the new site was more isolated and located on higher ground, but nearby residents have still been protesting since news of the venue switch was leaked weeks ago.