The Korea Times:
By Jun Ji-hye
With the militaries of South Korea and the United States preparing working-level talks on the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, it is highly likely to become a major issue in the scheduled April 13 general election.
Military officials say the advanced missile defense system is necessary to detect and destroy North Korean missiles amid growing signs that the country has upgraded its nuclear capabilities.
However, residents living in the candidate sites for the THAAD battery strongly oppose it because of, among other things, possible health and safety risks due to electromagnetic waves emitted by the AN/TPY-2 radar.
Residents also cite the potential negative impact on the local real estate market caused by the deployment because it is highly likely for the nearby area of the site to be designated as a limited development district, just as other areas near U.S. bases have been designated.
The allies first announced their decision to officially discuss the THAAD deployment on Feb. 7, hours after North Korea launched a long-range rocket, which followed its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6, both in violation of U.N. resolutions.
Since then, about five candidate locations for a THAAD battery have been mentioned by the news media based on such factors as the current locations of U.S. bases, the distance from the North’s missile units and from China.
The China factor has to be considered as the country has long been opposed to the deployment of a THAAD battery on the peninsula, out of concerns that its radar could be used to spy on Beijing’s military activities and that the deployment would expand American influence within Northeast Asia
Candidate locations being mentioned are Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province; Daegu; Waegwan in North Gyeongsang Province; Wonju in Gangwon Province; and Gunsan in North Jeolla Province.
Among them, the U.S. Forces Korea’s (USFK) Camp Humphreys is located at Pyeongtaek, Camp Walker in Daegu, Camp Carroll at Waegwan and the U.S. air base in Gunsan.
Wonju hosted Camp Long until 2010.
Although an official government announcement regarding the location has yet to be made, residents living in the areas as well as lawmakers who represent them and municipal authorities there are already expressing their opposition to the deployment.
Some observers refer to the opposition and resistance of residents and politicians as “NIMBYism,” or not-in-my-backyard syndrome, just as seen in the previous cases of the construction of nuclear waste storage facilities and naval bases.
What is ironic is that most candidate areas for a THAAD battery are the constituencies of the ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers, who, as conservatives, usually lay stress on measures to strengthen national security _ it is generally believed that issues involving national security are a good tool for conservatives to win the hearts and minds of voters.
Rep. Won Yoo-chul who represents Pyeongtaek, Reps. Joo Ho-young and Yoo Seong-min, who represent districts in Daegu and Rep. Lee Kang-hoo who sits for Wonju have all been advocates for THAAD deployment since the Commander of the USFK and United Nations Command Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti first raised the possibility in June 2014.
Such conservative lawmakers have said that the system would help enhance the nation’s capability of better deterring nuclear and missile threats from the North.
But, since the two governments made it official to discuss the THAAD deployment, and their constituencies have been cited as possible locations for the system, the lawmakers have appeared to pull back.
Still acknowledging the need for the deployment, the lawmakers now say that their constituencies are not suitable locations for hosting the system.
Rep. Joo of Daegu said, “Daegu is too far away from Seoul,” noting that a THAAD battery in his city will not be effective in protecting the capital area. He also said, “It is too hasty to mention a certain region at a time when the working-level discussions between the two countries have yet to begin.”
Rep. Won of Pyeongtaek took exactly the same stance, saying, “I do not understand why Pyeongtaek is being talked about now,” adding that mentioning his constituency at this stage will only cause unnecessary controversy.
Rep. Lee of Wonju also said, “THAAD is surly necessary to protect the people’s lives and properties, but Wonju is not an optimal place for the system, given that the area would not meet the basic conditions for deployment.”
Such an illogical stance of the lawmakers, that the THAAD is necessary but it should not be deployed in their constituencies, apparently comes as the general election is less than two months away.
Critics say the lawmakers might have no choice but to oppose the deployment as the issue is threatening their chances of election.
Kim Jong-dae, a military commentator who is in charge of defense reform in the minor opposition Justice Party, said, “If the lawmakers have called for bringing the THAAD to the peninsula to truly enhance national security, they will have to express a position that they can accept the deployment in their constituencies, and that they will bet their political careers to persuade residents. Only by doing this, can the sincerity of their previous calls for THAAD not be suspected.”
The lawmakers’ reluctance to host THAAD in their constituencies is also expected to cause internal conflict within the governing party ahead of the general election as its leadership including Chairman Kim Moo-sung is sticking to a position that the nation needs it.
Rep. Kim earlier said, “THAAD is a defensive weapon system to protect us from the North’s attack. I cannot understand those who are opposed to it.”
A recent atmosphere that the U.S. could possibly hold off _ or reverse _ its decision to deploy THAAD on the peninsula following its agreement with China on a draft U.N. resolution for sanctions against the North is not helping tone down the resistance of residents and politicians, at least not yet.
The Washington-Beijing agreement Wednesday raises speculation that the two powers made a “big deal” as Beijing is believed to have demanded that Washington withdraw its THAAD deployment plan in return for Beijing’s cooperation on producing a meaningful U.N. resolution.
But on same day, the USFK Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti told the House Armed Services Committee that the allies are expected to hold the first meeting of their joint working-level group regarding the THAAD deployment “within a week.”
Wonju Mayor Won Chang-muk said, “I will cast myself with the citizens of Wonju to ensure that THAAD is not deployed in this city,” saying that deploying the system in his city would be a “severe” decision.
Because of the sensibilities of the issue, some analysts say any decision on THAAD will not be announced until the general election is over.
Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, said it is not proper for a matter related to national security to emerge as a major issue for the elections. “I think whether and where to deploy a THAAD battery should not be decided before the election.”
For its part, the Ministry of National Defense said, “The allies will choose an optimal location from which the military can shoot down North Korean missiles after considering all related matters.”
The ministry also said, “Whether to host a THAAD battery is a sovereign right of South Korea, and the issue is not linked with Beijing’s participation in the U.N. sanctions.”
