Defense Ministry to review other sites for THAAD

The South Korean Defense Ministry said Thursday that it may revise its plan to deploy the advanced U.S. missile defense system in Seongsan-ri, Seongju-gun, North Gyeongsang Province.

The ministry’s statement followed President Park Geun-hye’s remarks earlier in the day that she will consider stationing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in other places in Seongju.

“If the local government requests so, the ministry will review other places within the Seongju area for THAAD deployment, based on our criteria,” the Defense Ministry said in a press release.

It was a flip-flop from the ministry’s previous stance that it had reviewed others sites for potential deployment but concluded they were unfit.

Seoul and Washington’s decision last month to install the THAAD in the country’s southern region -- to defend against North Korea’s ballistic missiles -- had sparked concerns over its potential effect on the people’s health, particularly from its high-powered AN/TPY-2 radar.

Residents pointed out that upon operation, electromagnetic waves emitted from THAAD’s radar, if it were based in Seongsan-ri, would pass through populated areas of Seongju-gun. They reportedly told Park that they are willing to accept having THAAD placed in other areas in Seongju besides Seongsan-ri.

Potential locations include the scarcely populated Mount Yeomsoksan and Mount Ggachisan, which stand respectively at 873 meters and 571 meters above sea level. The former is west of Seongsan, while the latter is southwest of it.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)