South Korea has completed an environmental impact assessment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, paving the way for its full deployment.
Concerns about the effects of electromagnetic waves from the system on the human body and surrounding environment led to protests by residents of Seongju, hampering its deployment.
The US-made system was first deployed in 2017 in response to North Korea’s testing of four ballistic missiles. It has since held the status of a “temporary” installation pending the assessment.
Environmental Assessment
The assessment found the maximum amount of electromagnetic waves radiating from the THAAD base, 214 kilometers (133 miles) southeast of Seoul, was much less than the permissible limit — 0.2 percent of a legal safety protection standard, Yonhap News Agency wrote, citing an environment ministry press release.
The ministry also recruited third-party experts, such as the Korea Radio Promotion Association, to make the assessment more credible.
“Now that the environmental assessment has been completed…we will closely cooperate with the US side to proceed with the project in full reflection of the assessment,” Yonhap News Agency quoted an environment ministry official as saying.
Seoul has been pushing for the THAAD’s full deployment as North Korea accelerates its missile and nuclear programs.
The assessment is expected to expedite the infrastructure construction required for the full deployment of the Lockheed Martin battery.
