By Yi Whan-woo
The United States has asked South Korea to complete the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here by Aug. 30, a lawmaker claimed Friday, citing Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon.
Rep. Lee Cheol-woo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) claimed Prime Minister Lee shared the U.S. demand with lawmakers recently while discussing threats from North Korea.
The lawmaker said he heard the U.S. wants South Korea to cooperate in the installation of four more THAAD launchers by Aug. 30.
The Prime Minister’s Office denied the lawmaker’s claim.
But speculation is rampant that Seoul and Washington have been discussing full installation behind closed doors despite Beijing’s objections to THAAD.
A THAAD battery has a maximum load of six launchers but only two of them are in operation in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
The remaining four have also been brought into the country. But they will need government approval to go into operation, which will depend on an environmental study concerning THAAD.
Three U.S. military commanders visited the THAAD site, Tuesday, during their visit to South Korea on the occasion of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises between Seoul and Washington.
The three were Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris, Strategic Command chief Gen. John Hyten and Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves.
Rep. Lee, who serves as the chairman of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, speculated the U.S. demand may have come from one of “the high-level American officials” during their recent visit to Seoul.
“The four launchers can be installed right away if the government is determined to do so. Otherwise, there will be a fuss among the South Korean and U.S. authorities after Aug. 30,” the LKP legislator said.
He also said Friday that Cheong Wa Dae may soon make an announcement about the four additional THAAD launchers.
“I believe it could even be today,” he said.
A ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker backed the prime minister, saying “Lee Cheol-woo’s argument appears to be far from true.”
The DPK representative added, “Also, I don’t think the U.S can make such a demand of a sovereign state like South Korea.”
Another DPK lawmaker claimed immediate deployment of the four THAAD launchers is possible.
“The full operation of the THAAD battery will require a stable supply of electricity but providing additional electricity to the deployment site is not possible for the time being.”
The Ministry of National Defense said Friday it measured the electromagnetic waves around the golf course where the THAAD battery has been partially deployed since March.
The protest against THAAD here is partially related to fears that electromagnetic radiation emitted by the THAAD radar could cause serious harm to nearby residents and could contaminate agricultural products.
The government regulates that the intensity of electromagnetic waves should be kept at or below 10 watts per square meter to ensure no physical damage.
Two of the three sites where the measurements were made had electromagnetic waves of 0.0005 watts per square meter, while the other had 0.0012 watts per square meter, according to the defense ministry, which aren’t even near the limit.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said the results of an environmental assessment required for the deployment of four additional THAAD launchers will be released on Aug. 28.