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Sat, July 2, 2022 | 08:10
Defense
Seongju picked as site for THAAD battery
"사드 최적합지, 경북 성주 성산리로 결론…내주 발표"
Posted : 2016-07-12 16:43
Updated : 2016-07-13 12:45
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By Kang Seung-woo

South Korea and the United States have chosen Seongju County in North Gyeongsang Province as the site for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, sources said Tuesday.

The government is expected to announce the decision on July 22 following approval from both nations' defense ministers.

Seoul and Washington officially announced Friday that they will deploy the U.S. missile defense battery in South Korea to counter continued North Korean threats after formal consultations began in March.

"After comprehensive reviews on candidate locations, the allies have reached the conclusion that Seongju is the optimal site for THAAD and they are currently in the final stage of administrative procedures," a government source said.

The source said that unless an unexpected factor comes up, Seongju County will become the home for THAAD.

The Air Force is currently operating a Hawk ground-to-air missile battery in the county and if THAAD comes to the town, it is expected to be moved to another region.

Seongju is out of range of North Korea's multiple rocket launchers deployed along its border with South Korea and THAAD can protect key U.S. facilities in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province and Daegu, if deployed there.

"If THAAD is deployed in Seongju County, it can contribute to providing air defense against North Korean missile threats for South Korea's Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province as well as U.S. military bases in Gunsan, Daeu and Pyeongtaek," a military official said.

In addition, the current Hawk battery is placed in a mountainous area at an attitude of 300 meters, so it may ease concerns over harmful electromagnetic waves emitted from THAAD's X-band radar.

Main opposition key figures clash over THAAD
Main opposition key figures clash over THAAD
2016-07-13 13:22  |  National

Residents from candidate locations are protesting against the U.S. missile defense system coming to their towns because the electromagnetic waves carry potential safety and environmental threats.

"Our missile units are sited in mountainous areas, so I expect locating THAAD to follow suit," Defense Minister Han Min-koo told lawmakers, Tuesday.

Bringing THAAD to Seongju appears to be a money-saving measure, as well.

The site used by the 170-troop Hawk battery can accommodate a THAAD battery comprised of 120 personnel without purchasing additional land.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), South Korea will be responsible for providing the land and relevant facilities to host THAAD while the United States will fund its deployment and operation. One THAAD battery costs about $1.3 billion (1.49 trillion won).

In addition, there have been discussions about the operational effectiveness of the Hawk battery inside the military because there are two Patriot missile batteries placed in the nearby cities of Daegu and Waegwan.

Deploying THAAD there is likely to calm debate on the inefficiency from an overlapping use of similarly performing missiles and offer a broader defense system against North Korean threats.

In response, the Seongju County Office strongly opposed a possible THAAD deployment there.

"The discussed site for THAAD is the most populous area in the county, exposing its residents to harmful electromagnetic waves and threatening their right to live," said County Executive Kim Hyang-gon. "In addition, the THAAD deployment would damage the county's production of melons, toppling the regional economy."

On Tuesday, the county staged a campaign to strike down the planned deployment of the anti-missile system in the region.

However, should Seongju host a THAAD battery, the decision may spark controversy that the government has given up defending Seoul and its surrounding areas — the most populous region in the nation — despite hurting its cherished relations with Beijing.

Since the ROK-U.S. joint announcement, China has strongly expressed its displeasure with the decision, urging the South Korean government to scrap the plan.




"사드 최적합지, 경북 성주 성산리로 결론…내주 발표"

정부 소식통 '행정 승인절차 진행…변수 없는 한 확정'
군사적 효용성·안전·주변국 여건 고려한 '최적지'

미국의 고고도 미사일방어체계(사드·THAAD) 배치지역으로 경북 성주읍 성산리 일대를 사실상 결정하고 최종 확정에 앞선 마지막 단계의 세부 검토 작업을 하고 있는 것으로 12일 알려졌다.

한미 국방 당국은 공동실무단이 성주를 최적 부지로 평가한 내용을 담은 이행보고서를 양국 군 최고 수뇌부에 보고하는 행정적인 절차를 마치는 대로 이르면 내주 배치지역을 발표할 것으로 전해졌다.

복수의 정부 소식통은 이날 '한미가 군사적 효용성 등을 면밀하게 따져본 결과, 공군 방공포대가 있는 경북 성주지역을 최적합지로 결론을 내리고 양국 군 당국의 행정적인 승인 절차를 진행 중인 것으로 안다'고 밝혔다.

행정적인 승인 절차 과정에서 변수가 생기지 않는 한 한미 공동실무단이 평가한 지역으로 결정될 것으로 보인다고 이들 소식통이 전했다.

성산포대에는 병력 170여명과 대공유도무기인 호크가 여러 대 배치돼 있다. 호크는 차량으로 견인할 수 있기 때문에 인근 다른 지역으로 이동 배치될 것으로 알려졌다.

군 일각에선 대구 군 공항이 이전하는 장소 인근에 성산포대의 호크를 이동 배치해 사드 작전기지를 보호하는 역할을 맡길 가능성이 큰 것으로 관측하고 있다.

한미가 성주읍 성산리를 우선적으로 고려한 것은 군사적 효용성을 가장 높게 평가한 결과이며, 주택 밀집지역이 아니어서 주민 안전과 환경오염 등의 문제가 발생할 가능성이 적다고 판단했기 때문이다.

해발 400m 고지에 있는 성산포대는 성주읍과 1.5㎞ 떨어져 있다. 인근 성산리에는 1천388 가구, 2천800여명이 거주하는 것으로 알려졌다.

성산리에 사드가 배치되면 사드의 최대요격거리(200㎞)를 감안할 때 미군기지가 있는 평택과 군산, 육·해·공군본부가 있는 충남 계룡대, 강원도 강릉 인근까지 북한 미사일을 커버할 수 있게 된다.

한미 공동실무단의 시뮬레이션 결과, 사드 1개 포대가 남한 전역의 2분의 1에서 3분의 2 범위까지 북한의 스커드와 노동·무수단 미사일을 요격할 수 있는 것으로 분석됐으며, 성산리 지역이 이 기준에 부합하는 것으로 평가됐다.

특히 사거리 200㎞에 달하는 북한의 300㎜ 신형 방사포의 타격권에서 벗어나 있는 것도 높은 점수를 받았고, 경북 성주가 행정구역상 동해안 쪽에 위치해 중국을 덜 자극하는 점도 고려된 것으로 전해졌다.

군 당국은 사드가 영남권에 배치되면 인구 밀집지인 수도권 방어가 취약하다는 논란을 불식하기 위해 신형 PAC-3 패트리엇 미사일 포대를 수도권에 증강 배치할 것으로 알려졌다.

군 관계자는 '주한미군 측에서 지난해부터 성주지역을 비공식적으로 조사한 것으로 안다'고 전했다. (연합뉴스)
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