Politics
16:53, 10-Aug-2017
Seoul delays measurement of electromagnetic waves near THAAD site
["other","South Korea"]
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South Korea's defense ministry has delayed the planned measurement of electromagnetic waves and noise near the site where the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is deployed, according to local media.
The defense ministry originally planned to carry out the measurements on Thursday together with the environment ministry.
But an unnamed defense ministry official told local reporters that the plan was postponed due to several on-site situations.
A THAAD interceptor is launched from the Pacific Spaceport Complex during Flight Test THAAD (FTT)-18 in Kodiak, Alaska, US, July 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo
A THAAD interceptor is launched from the Pacific Spaceport Complex during Flight Test THAAD (FTT)-18 in Kodiak, Alaska, US, July 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo
Officials from the defense and environment ministries had planned to arrive by helicopter at the former golf course in Seongju county where THAAD has been installed, but the chopper failed to take off due to a bad weather, according to local media.
They had planned to arrive by helicopter as residents and peace activists continue to block the only approach road to the THAAD site.
The ministry has asked residents to participate in the measurements, but villagers refused as they believed the measurements were being carried out to ensure the deployment was a foregone conclusion.
The THAAD radar is known to emit super microwaves which can be harmful to the human body and the environment, but the defense ministry's past measurements showed very low levels of electromagnetic waves emitted from the radar.
Residents believe that the figures have been manipulated, saying the level of microwaves would have been much higher when THAAD was in full operational mode.
1133km
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency