Military purchases melons from Seongju

By Yi Whan-woo

The military is buying oriental melons from Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, to placate the county residents who were infuriated by the government’s decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery there.

Oriental melons are well-known products of the region.

The Ministry of Defense said Monday that Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Lee Sun-jin purchased oriental melons produced in Seongju at his own expense last week and shared the fruit with JCS members.

The ministry said Vice Defense Minister Hwang In-moo also bought several boxes of oriental melons and gave them to reporters two weeks ago.

The Defense Security Command and the Air Force jointly ordered oriental melons worth 2 million won ($1,800) via delivery.

“The defense ministry did not make any orders concerning such purchases. Rather they were made voluntarily,” a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

The Seongju residents have been concerned about the negative impact on their businesses amid radiation risks associated with THAAD’s radar.

It has been rumored that the melons will be exposed to harmful electromagnetic radiation if the THAAD battery is set up on a hilltop close to their village.

Seongju accounts for over 70 percent of the oriental melons produced in Korea.

The defense ministry announced last month that THAAD, an advanced U.S. missile defense system will be established there.

The residents have protested that the decision was made one-sidedly without consulting them.