US military shows journalists THAAD battery in Guam

A South Korean officer, second from right, measures electromagnetic waves emitted from the AN/TPY-2 radar of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, Monday, while South Korean journalists and a U.S. officer look on. The inset photo shows the levels of the electromagnetic waves at 0.001 watts per square meter, which is much lower than the 10 watts per square meter permissible level in daily life set by the Korea Communications Commission. / Courtesy of U.S. Air Force

Electromagnetic wave levels found safe

By Jun Ji-hye, Joint press corps

South Korean journalists and military officials hear explanations from a U.S. officer about the THAAD system during their visit to "Site Armadillo," the location of a THAAD battery inside Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, Monday. / Courtesy of U.S. Air Force

The U.S. military showed its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery stationed in Guam to a group of South Korean journalists, Monday, as part of efforts to calm mounting safety concerns over its radar.

During the tour to "Site Armadillo," the location of the THAAD unit inside Andersen Air Force Base, the journalists and officials from the Ministry of National Defense received explanations from U.S. soldiers about how the unit was operated, the system's AN/TPY-2 radar and the noise level of generators, the ministry said.

The THAAD unit in Guam, nicknamed "Musudan manglers," was set up in 2013 in response to the growing threats from North Korea's Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The radar in Guam is the same model as the one to be deployed in Seongju County in North Gyeongsang Province next year.

A South Korean Air Force major was allowed to measure electromagnetic waves with Korea's own devices for six minutes at a spot 1.6 kilometers away from the radar while it was operating.

The result showed the average level was 0.0003 watts per square meter with the maximum value of 0.0007 watts per square meter, which was much lower than the permissible level of electromagnetic waves on daily life set by the Korea Communications Commission, which is 10 watts per square meter.

The reason why the measurement took place at a spot 1.6 kilometers away from the radar was because a residential area is located about 1.5 kilometers away from the envisioned site in Seongju, officials said.

A U.S. official said, asking not to be named, that his country will thoroughly check safety concerns before the deployment as its troops serve near the radar, adding that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency will accurately set up a safe zone in Seongju.

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Maj. Gen. Robert Hedelund, the assistant chief of staff for strategy, plans, and policy at the U.S. Forces Korea, who toured the unit with the Koreans, also said that THAAD will not damage the health of troops or citizens.

The tour by South Korean journalists came after close consultation between Seoul and Washington amid Koreans' fear about health and environmental risks associated with the electromagnetic waves emitted from the radar.

Since the defense ministry announced last week that a THAAD battery will be placed in Seongju next year, local residents have been protesting, claiming that the radar will cause cancer, infertility and hurt their watermelon crop.

Washington was initially opposed to a request from Seoul to reveal the THAAD unit to South Korean media ― it has never allowed civilians to tour a unit. But the U.S. accepted the request as the residents' objection to the deployment has become stronger, according to insiders.

The journalists also were briefed on THAAD's capability of shooting down ballistic missiles.

When the two allies announced the deployment of the advanced anti-missile defense system in Korea, July 8, they stressed that the deployment will greatly enhance Seoul's ability to deal with North Korea's evolving nuclear and ballistic missile threats. But some experts still question the capability of the system.

Lockheed Martin, the producer of THAAD, said that the battery was nearly 100 percent successful in interception tests, but critics claim that such tests took place under defined conditions, and that THAAD has been never utilized in practice.

In addition, skepticism over the system has been also raised as Seoul and its surrounding area, with a population of roughly 25 million and major facilities, are out of its coverage range. The missile interceptor has an effective range of 200 kilometers, while Seongju is located some 210 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The Musudan missile, with an estimated range of some 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers, could theoretically fly as far as Guam.

A THAAD battery consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors (eight per launcher), a fire control and communications unit, and an AN/TPY-2 radar.

The unit in Guam is manned by 200 troops and commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. It was the first THAAD unit that the U.S. deployed outside its mainland.