Governor of a South Korean province, where Seoul and Washington agreed to house one Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery by the end of next year, asked communications with the central government to find an alternative site for the U.S. missile defense system.
Kim Kwan-yong, governor of North Gyeongsang province which includes Seongju county, some 250 km southeast of Seoul, told a press briefing held in his office on Tuesday that the government should acknowledge the fact that no solution can be found if it adheres only to the already designated site.
Kim was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying that both the government and Seongju residents should make efforts to find an alternative site for the U.S. missile shield based on the agreement from residents.
Seoul and Washington abruptly announced their unilateral decision last month to install one THAAD battery by the end of next year, causing strong backlashes from opposition lawmakers and residents at home as well as from neighboring countries.
Seongju residents, enraged at the unilateral announcement without advance notice or discussions, opposed the deployment on worries about environmental and health hazards coming from the THAAD's X-band radar that emits super-strong microwaves.
Opposition lawmakers and civic group activists demanded a complete retraction or a re-negotiation of the THAAD deployment decision as it raises tensions in the region and causes huge damages diplomatically and economically.
China and Russia have strongly objected to the U.S. anti-missile system deployed in South Korea as the AN/TPY-2 radar can snoop on Chinese and Russian territories, breaking the regional strategic balance and damaging their security interests.
The provincial governor made an official proposal to the government for reviewing an alternative site. President Park Geun-hye said earlier that she could re-examine another site if an official request is made.
Defense Minister Han Min-koo is scheduled to visit Seongju county on Wednesday to persuade the residents to accept the government's deployment decision, according to Seoul's defense ministry.
