Lotte Group Golf Course Chosen as New THAAD Site
The Lotte Group golf course was chosen as the new site for an advanced American missile defense system on Friday. The golf course is located in the southeastern part of the country and is said to be ideal to counter the evolving nuclear and missile provocations from the neighboring country, North Korea.
Yonhap News Agency reported that the revised decision comes to light 2 ½ months after the United States and South Korea selected the Seongsan anti-aircraft missile base located in Seongju in the southeast part of Seoul, to host the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system by next year.
An official at the Ministry of National Defense stated, "A meeting to explain the decision to select a new site for THAAD was held this morning at the request of local government officials in Seongju. Defense Minister Han Min-Koo held a meeting with ruling and opposition party leaders to explain the decision."
The ministry also confirmed that it will hold a briefing on the decision Friday afternoon.
In July of the current year, South Korea and the United States declared that they will install a THAAD battery in South Korea in order to improve its defense against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.
Seongju officials and residents strongly protested the decision of the two allied countries and demanded the site for the THAAD deployment be changed. One of the reasons why the residents disagree with the decision is the possible health problems that could be caused by the THAAD radar.
Following the protests, the military reviewed three other potential THAAD sites in Seongju, Mt. Yeonseok in Geumsoo-myeon, Mt. Kkachi in Sooryon-myeon, and the Lotte Group-operated golf course in Chojeon-myeon.
The Lotte Skyhill Country Club is located 18 kilometers north of the Seongju County center. It sits 680 meters above sea level, approximately 300m higher than the previously selected anti-aircraft missile base. Also, it is isolated from the residential areas than the missile base and could relieve the concerns of the local residents regarding the THAAD's potential health hazards.
However, the new THAAD site could also cause problems for the neighboring town of Gimcheon because the radar would be pointing in the direction of Gimcheon. The residents already warned that they will have "a full-scale protest" if the golf course were chosen.
