S. Korea persuades U.S. on THAAD deployment at Lotte CC

S. Korea persuades U.S. on THAAD deployment at Lotte CC. August. 23, 2016 06:57. by 윤상호군사전문기자, 손효주기자 ysh1005@donga.com,hjson@donga.com.

The South Korea government and military authorities reportedly decided to change the location for THAAD deployment from the Seongsan artillery base to the Lotte Skyhill Country Club located in Chojeon Township in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and is persuading the U.S. accordingly.

“With the assumption that ‘residents want,’ we are taking steps to change the location of THAAD deployment from the Seongsan base to the country club,” a senior Seoul government official said on Monday. “We proposed to the U.S. a plan to develop nine holes at the 18-hole golf course into the THAAD site, and use the remaining nine holes as golf course for the U.S. military.”

“It has been judged that the Lotte country club offers better conditions as THAAD site than other candidate sites within Seongju," the source said. "We have considered low cost gap between road expansion to the Seongsan base and purchase of the golf course, military utility of THAAD will be well maintained in the location of the golf course.”

In a press conference at the county office on the day, Kim Hang-gon, mayor of Seongju County, officially requested the defense ministry to designate a third location that is appropriate as the site for THAAD deployment, other than the Seongsan base, as soon as possible.”

“In a recent opinion survey that followed a forum with residents on Thursday, majority of Seongju residents wanted the THAAD system to be stationed in a third location, if (THAAD) has to be positioned in the county,” he said. “Opposing the measure that goes the extreme without presenting an alternative is not the way to achieve fundamental resolution to the problem.”

The Seongju anti-THAAD deployment committee agreed to a plan to request the government to consider a third candidate site in a vote of 23 members in favor, one against, and nine abstaining at a meeting the previous day.

While closely consulting with the local governments concerned, the defense ministry said it would apply six criteria for eval‎uation of the viability of sites, and eval‎uate alternative candidate sites sooner rather than later. Three to four private properties including the Lotte golf course will likely be among candidate sites for eval‎uation.