It looks like the ROK government is trying to build trust with the local protesters in Seongju in an attempt to hopefully open the road to the THAAD site:
Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk, second from right, speaks with a group of some 30 residents about their concerns regarding the Thaad deployment at the Soseong-ri town hall in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang, near the golf course where the antimissile system is partially installed. [YONHAP]Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk told a group of residents of Seongju County, North Gyeongsang, that the government will “guarantee” their participation in the environmental impact appraisal of the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) battery.
Suh sought out Seongju residents on Tuesday at the Soseong-ri town hall, near the former golf course where the U.S. Forces Korea’s Thaad battery is partially deployed. Some have interpreted his remarks as suggesting that the government plans to conduct a full environmental impact appraisal, which would take at least one year, as opposed to a smaller study.
Under the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, a small-scale appraisal does not require gathering input from residents and can take under six months to complete.
Seongju residents and Won Buddhists have been protesting the deployment, especially the stealthy, expedited manner in which it was moved to the golf course in late April under the previous government without a proper environmental appraisal. (……….)
“The residents are most concerned about including a delegation while measuring electromagnetic waves,” he said.
The vice minister elaborated that he thus emphasized to them the principle of guaranteeing their participation, and that the Ministry of National Defense is reviewing how to do so. But he said it not official that the assessment will be undertaken. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
If the residents want to go measure electromagnetic waves they can do it right now. They can purchase their own detection device and stand at their homes or farms and see what electromagnetic waves they detect. They are not going to detect anything though because a group of Korean reporters were invited to the THAAD site on Guam and have already measured electromagnetic waves and found nothing.
This photo, taken on July 18, 2016, and provided by the U.S. Air Force, shows officials measuring the level of electromagnetic waves from the radar of a THAAD battery in Guam, with South Korean reporters watching and taking notes. (Yonhap)
What is so stupid about this claim is do these activists really think the US military would just let their personnel on the site get exposed to dangerous electromagnetic waves much less local residents? Do they think soldiers on Guam just keep dropping dead and the US military just keeps replacing them with no one noticing?
“The residents are most concerned about including a delegation while measuring electromagnetic waves.”
Bet they all have cell phones, TVs, and microwaves, though…
Flyingsword
6 years ago
Did thiese villagers and buhadist protest when they blew the top off the montain to build a golf course? No Such leftist BS.
guitard
6 years ago
“What is so stupid about this claim is do these activists…”
While they might be misguided, I don’t think I’d call these people activists; but rather local residents genuinely concerned about the situation and people who actually have some skin in the game. Activists don’t look like farmer Kim and his extended family – and that’s who you see in the photo.
As I’ve mentioned before, the leftist activists have largely been blocked by the local villagers from participating in activities on the ground near the site. Apparently the locals figured out that the leftists don’t really care about the actual cause – they are only interested in promoting their anti-American agenda.
All their “concerns” are based on lies spread by the leftist an nK sympathizers in South Korea, now reinforced by President Moon’s ridiculous ‘environmental’ impact study. Show me picutures of them protesting the construction of the golf course and the use of fertillizers and peticides at the golf course. Then I will believe these people care oh so deeply about their environment. Otherwise they are just stooges for nK.
As I said, they probably are misguided. But they have made it a point NOT to associate with leftist organizations like the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU) as they (rightly) determined that this is their cause and the leftists don’t care about them.
These are humble, country folk. The use of fertilizer and pesticides is part of their life as farmers, so you’re not going to find any pictures of them protesting that.
Smokes
6 years ago
Did they deploy THAAD to the oldest village in the RoK? Some of those locals look like they were alive during the Korean Expedition of 1871. 😯
In al seriousness, based on the photo it appeared to be a genuine (and literal) sit-down with actual locals to address concerns and give information. I’m cool with that. 😉
@guitard, I call them activists because the locals are being assisted by outside groups. They may not all be on the ground though some are, but the locals are being manipulated by these far left groups by continuing to push this electromagnetic wave narrative which has already been disproven.
If they were complaining about military traffic or generator noise then these are legitimate complaints that reasonable can come to agreements to address. This is exactly what happened with the AN/TPY-2 radar site in Kyogamisaki, Japan which is the same radar in Seongju. The residents there did not barricade the road and spread misinformation about the radar in a attempt to remove it like what is happening to Seongju.
“I call them activists because the locals are being assisted by outside groups.”
The only significant outside assistance they are getting is from the Buddhist monks. The monks get involved in political causes and can be a PITA, but they aren’t violent and they are nothing like the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) – whom the locals have spurned. If any leftist group is going to be involved – it would be the KCTU. But they are are no where to be seen in the Seongju area. Yes – you can google and find statements the KCTU has made about THAAD – but you won’t see them on the front lines in Seongju. That is very telling.
As far the electromagnetic wave thing goes … these are a bunch of (mostly elderly) uneducated farmers … easily bamboozled by “scary” stories about electromagnetic waves. Could the source of the stories be leftist groups? Of course. But it could also be the village elder passing on something he heard from a neighbor after downing several soju/makkoli bombs.
“The residents are most concerned about including a delegation while measuring electromagnetic waves.”
Bet they all have cell phones, TVs, and microwaves, though…
Did thiese villagers and buhadist protest when they blew the top off the montain to build a golf course? No Such leftist BS.
“What is so stupid about this claim is do these activists…”
While they might be misguided, I don’t think I’d call these people activists; but rather local residents genuinely concerned about the situation and people who actually have some skin in the game. Activists don’t look like farmer Kim and his extended family – and that’s who you see in the photo.
As I’ve mentioned before, the leftist activists have largely been blocked by the local villagers from participating in activities on the ground near the site. Apparently the locals figured out that the leftists don’t really care about the actual cause – they are only interested in promoting their anti-American agenda.
All their “concerns” are based on lies spread by the leftist an nK sympathizers in South Korea, now reinforced by President Moon’s ridiculous ‘environmental’ impact study. Show me picutures of them protesting the construction of the golf course and the use of fertillizers and peticides at the golf course. Then I will believe these people care oh so deeply about their environment. Otherwise they are just stooges for nK.
As I said, they probably are misguided. But they have made it a point NOT to associate with leftist organizations like the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU) as they (rightly) determined that this is their cause and the leftists don’t care about them.
These are humble, country folk. The use of fertilizer and pesticides is part of their life as farmers, so you’re not going to find any pictures of them protesting that.
Did they deploy THAAD to the oldest village in the RoK? Some of those locals look like they were alive during the Korean Expedition of 1871. 😯
In al seriousness, based on the photo it appeared to be a genuine (and literal) sit-down with actual locals to address concerns and give information. I’m cool with that. 😉
Electromagnetic Waves:
Fan Death for the new millennium
So I guess they don’t really care about the environment then…..
@guitard, I call them activists because the locals are being assisted by outside groups. They may not all be on the ground though some are, but the locals are being manipulated by these far left groups by continuing to push this electromagnetic wave narrative which has already been disproven.
If they were complaining about military traffic or generator noise then these are legitimate complaints that reasonable can come to agreements to address. This is exactly what happened with the AN/TPY-2 radar site in Kyogamisaki, Japan which is the same radar in Seongju. The residents there did not barricade the road and spread misinformation about the radar in a attempt to remove it like what is happening to Seongju.
“I call them activists because the locals are being assisted by outside groups.”
The only significant outside assistance they are getting is from the Buddhist monks. The monks get involved in political causes and can be a PITA, but they aren’t violent and they are nothing like the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) – whom the locals have spurned. If any leftist group is going to be involved – it would be the KCTU. But they are are no where to be seen in the Seongju area. Yes – you can google and find statements the KCTU has made about THAAD – but you won’t see them on the front lines in Seongju. That is very telling.
As far the electromagnetic wave thing goes … these are a bunch of (mostly elderly) uneducated farmers … easily bamboozled by “scary” stories about electromagnetic waves. Could the source of the stories be leftist groups? Of course. But it could also be the village elder passing on something he heard from a neighbor after downing several soju/makkoli bombs.
In the late 90s the Buddhists were throwing Molotov cocktails at police in Seoul…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/472155.stm
And they haven’t been all hugs and kisses much lately…
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/08/31/Buddhist-monks-clash-in-South-Korea-over-head-monk-accusations/5631441047880/