ED Quick THAAD deployment

The government has concluded that electromagnetic radiation and noise emanating from a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Seongju is well below the permitted levels.

According to an environmental impact test conducted by the defense and environment ministries Saturday, the momentary maximum level of electromagnetic radiation was 0.046 watts, one-200th of the permissible level of 10 watts per square meter.

The noise level was 51.9 decibels at 100 meters from the THAAD’s radar and 47.1 decibels at 500 meters from the radar. Given that the noise level in a residential area should not exceed 50 decibels and that the nearest town is located 2 kilometers from the U.S. antimissile system, there will be no noise problem.

The test results bolstered the need and justification for the quick deployment of the missile shield. But it remains to be seen if the government can deploy the battery fully soon because of fierce protests by local residents and activists.

Two THAAD launchers were installed on a former golf course in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in late April. President Moon Jae-in ordered the four remaining launchers, stored on a nearby U.S. military base, to be deployed following North Korea’s two tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.

Seongju residents and activists refused to accept the test results, saying the tests were conducted by the government alone without the presence of civilian experts. But these claims are farfetched, considering nearly 70 percent of the public support the deployment of the antimissile battery. Their protests might be merely opposition for opposition’s sake.

Of course, it wouldn’t be wrong if one claims the U.S. battery won’t perfectly protect people in the southern half of the divided peninsula. But it’s actually the only way to defend against the nuclear-tipped missiles from North Korea.

Given the ever unpredictable and escalating situation on the Korean Peninsula, opposing the THAAD deployment without due reason is no longer tenable. The government should act resolutely to complete the deployment as soon as possible. Nothing is more important than dispelling the people’s lingering anxiety about national security.