Ministry under fire for keeping THAAD environmental study secret
Protesters chant slogans during a rally in town of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday, to voice their objections to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
The Ministry of National Defense is facing criticism from the opposition parties for having kept secret the outcome of its environmental impact study that showed a U.S. anti-missile system deployed here emits no electromagnetic waves.
Opposition lawmakers claim the ministry deliberately kept silent about the outcome considering President Moon Jae-in’s position to conduct a more extensive environmental survey of the site for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
Moon and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have so far criticized the former Park Geun-hye government’s rush to deploy the advanced missile defense system, claiming some of the due procedures were not followed despite the possible impact THAAD could have on local residents’ health and the environment.
The outcome of the ministry’s small-scale survey was made public, July 31, when Defense Minister Song Young-moo revealed it to lawmakers during a National Assembly session.
Song said the ministry’s survey found the THAAD battery emits no electromagnetic waves, and this was reported to the Ministry of Environment, July 24.
But he said the ministry did not brief the president on this.
Song’s comments provoked controversy as the ministry announced July 28 that it will begin a full-scale environmental impact study on the THAAD placement following an order from the President.
At the time, the ministry said the two THAAD launchers and an AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar, which had been already deployed at the site, will remain in place, but a final decision on the complete deployment with four additional launchers will be made after the full-scale survey.
This means that the ministry decided to conduct a large-scale survey, which would delay the full deployment for more than a year, although it already knew that no electromagnetic emissions were detected from the THAAD radar.
This is in stark contrast to the ministry’s initial position that the anti-missile system should be deployed as soon as possible to better defend the nation against Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
Rep. Kim Young-woo of the minor opposition Bareun Party, who chairs the National Assembly Defense Committee, said the reason for the ministry not to report the outcome of its earlier survey to the President might have been because of Moon’s determination to conduct the full-scale study.
Rep. Kim Hack-yong of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party also said the ministry should have released the results of its survey to the people and the President immediately after learning the outcome because the issue has been at the center of public attention.
“The ministry made a grave mistake as whether to delay the deployment for more than a year has been dividing the nation,” he said.
The situation has become more embarrassing with the North’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) July 28, hours after the ministry announced the decision on the full-scale survey.
Following the large-scale provocation, President Moon ordered his security aides to immediately begin consultation with the U.S. to “temporarily” deploy the remaining four THAAD launchers.
Sources said the additional launchers may be deployed sometime next week after Moon returns from his summer vacation Saturday.
This decision has also caused criticism for the government’s flip-flopping.
Rep. Kim Young-woo said, “Neither the intention and procedures (of the environmental survey) are understandable.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. said its side is prepared for a speedy installation of the THAAD battery.
“We are certainly ready to bring additional pieces in as quickly as we can,” Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, the Pentagon spokesman, said earlier this week.
Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, also said Wednesday the THAAD system will enhance the allies’ defense against North Korean threats, citing another successful interception by the system of a medium-range ballistic missile in a test conducted in Alaska, Sunday.
It “adds to the confidence I have in the THAAD system deployed to Seongju to defeat North Korean threats against the Republic of Korea,” he said.