My guess would be this apology must be something the ROK government recommended to USFK to do in order to get the protesters to stop blockading the road considering it is happening four months after the fact. I guess we will see if this will help lead to the end of the blockade:
Lt. Gen. Thomas Vandal, commander of the 8th U.S. Army, apologized Sunday to the people of Seongju over one of his soldiers using a smartphone to film a protest involving physical clashes, smiling as he did so.
The Seongju residents rejected Vandal’s apology, saying it was four months too late.
First, Vandal and his superior officer, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Vincent Brooks, should find a better way of dealing with this incident. The protesters should stop using the apology issue for political purposes.
The incident happened in the early hours of April 26 when a convoy of U.S. military vehicles pushed their way through to deliver equipment for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, a U.S. missile interceptor, to the site in the vicinity. Twelve people were injured. A GI in one vehicle was caught filming the scene with a snigger on his face.
For that, Vandal went down to Seongju and bowed at a press conference after the residents refused to meet him. He said the soldier’s behavior was inappropriate and that he was fresh on his Korean tour and had not finished his orientation program.
The residents questioned Vandal’s sincerity because his apology came four months after the incident, despite repeated demands. The residents claimed they felt ignored by Vandal.
Vandal should have apologized earlier. The USFK is often belated in dealing with accidents in relation to Koreans. One example is the 2002 Yangju Highway Incident where a U.S. military vehicle crushed two Korean girls to death. Then, the USFK dragged its feet, letting the incident grow out of proportion in a major PR fiasco. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but the Korea Times in regards to the 2002 Yangju Highway Incident do not know what they are talking about. Both the 8th Army commander and the 2nd Infantry Division commander apologized after the accident happened. 2ID even paid an initial $1,000 payment to the families to assist with funeral expenses. Then 2ID soldiers held a candlelight vigil and fundraising drive in honor of the two girls that were tragically killed. The fundraiser raised $22,000 for the families.
Finally the USFK commander put the soldiers on court martial strictly for PR purposes despite this being a clear accident. Anyway much more about the 2002 accident can be read at the below link:
Residents stage a protest against the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in Seongju, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 12, 2017. (Yonhap)
I think no matter what the government does these protesters will never be happy because this is not about environmental concerns, but instead a not in my backyard mentality:
Officials from the defense and environment ministries measure electromagnetic radiation and noise from the site of the THAAD deployment in Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 12, 2017, as part of the environmental survey on the controversial U.S. missile defense system. (Yonhap)
Local residents and activists campaigning against the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system said Sunday they will not accept the outcome of a government survey that ruled out the possibility of its serious environmental damage.
On Saturday, the government announced the result of a survey of electromagnetic radiation and noise from the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Seongju, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The defense ministry said the radiation level was far below the regulatory protection standard and the noise level in the residential areas is also on par with the maximum regulatory threshold.
Seongju residents and civic groups denounced those findings, saying it is not credible since the test was only done by the government and without any experts from the private sector.
“There was no one in the assessment team that we recommended, and it is not acceptable since it’s not a full test but a very partial one done to wrap up the whole process, which is illegal,” said Lee Seok-ju, a representative of the Seongju residents. [Yonhap]
I would not be surprised if the Moon administration is trying to appease the US and the Korean right by saying they are approving the deployment of four additional THAAD launchers while not actually letting them on the site because of the blockade built by protesters. This in turn would appease their left wing base by not letting the launchers on to the site:
A Defense Ministry official here said Tuesday, “The deployment of additional launchers will be handled through a transparent process. That entails convincing local residents and notifying them beforehand of the deployment.” He added, “That means we will not deploy them by surprise in the middle of the night as the first two THAAD launchers were in Seongju in April.”
A Cheong Wa Dae official said, “We will convince local residents and then deploy the THAAD launchers according to the agreement between the defense ministries of both countries.”
But that could take a long time since locals continue to protest. “There is no way that the government will send in riot police to ensure the deployment,” a government source said. [Chosun Ilbo]
You can read more at the link, but what does everyone else think? Does anyone think the protesters will drop their blockade and let the launchers access the THAAD site?
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?
Local residents and policemen clash near the deployment site of a U.S. anti-missile defense system in Seongju, South Korea on June 15. Conservative activists began confronting the protesters on Tuesday. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA
Conservative South Koreans who favor THAAD deployment confronted anti-THAAD activists near the site in Seongju when they attempted to enter the local town hall.
More than 200 members of a coalition of conservative organizations, including irate Korean homemakers, began a rally outside the building around noon on Tuesday, South Korean news service News 1 reported.
As tensions mounted between the two factions, about 1,500 police were deployed to block potential conflict, which was avoided until about 5 p.m. when activists calling for the “prompt deployment of THAAD” began marching on town hall.
A Buddhist sect was holding an event on the road outside the building when the march began.
Won Buddhists protesting THAAD have called for its cancellation.
Facing police obstruction, the conservative activists demanded the “right of way quickly,” citing the law.
Shouts were exchanged across the sides, and anti-THAAD activists blocked the road to prevent an escalation.
No injuries were reported.
South Korean activists who oppose THAAD have not stopped occupying the town hall and outlying areas since the missile defense system was deployed in April. [UPI]
Residents of Seongju County confront policemen on May 29, 2017, as they block the entry of trucks to the site picked for the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile defense system. Five trucks tried to enter the golf course in the county, 296 kilometers south of Seoul, that will host the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) for environmental inspection but then turned back. The deployment is fiercely opposed by local residents and some civic groups and religious organizations, including Won Buddhism which provided this photo. (Yonhap)
It looks like next week the deployment of the THAAD battery to South Korea will take one more step closer to becoming a reality with the reported transfer of the golf course owned by the Lotte Group to the ROK government:
This aerial photo taken on Oct. 27, 2016, shows the golf course in Seongju, 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul, that will host the U.S. missile shield system THAAD, short for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. The golf course, owned by Lotte Group, was chosen as the final host site in late September.
The Thaad system, in the meanwhile, is set to be deployed in Korea by June at the earliest.
“After the Lotte Corporation holds a board meeting on Monday, it will likely sign a contract with the National Defense Ministry on Tuesday [to swap land for the Thaad deployment],” said a ministry official.
The two parties agreed in November to swap the Lotte Skyhill Seongju Country Club in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang, for government land in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. The Thaad system will be deployed at the former golf course. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
Just as I predicted the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) complaints if the THAAD location does move would just shift from one location to another:
The Ministry of National Defense said it will begin to evaluate candidate locations which are being mentioned for an alternative site for THAAD as soon as possible. Candidate sites being mentioned include a country club owned by Lotte Group located in Chojeon Township of the county, Mt. Yeomsok in Geumsu Township and Mt. Kkachi in Suryun Township.
The ministry’s acceptance of the county’s request seems to have resolved the mounting conflict in Seongju to some extent, but at the same time is causing fresh protests from residents living in Gimcheon County as residents there are close to the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, which has been mentioned as the most prominent alternative site.
The Lotte golf club has emerged as an alternative location to host THAAD as it is located at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level, which is higher than the Seongsan artillery unit, located at an altitude of 380 meters. The golf course is also located 18 kilometers away from any residential areas, while the Seongsan artillery unit is only 1.5 kilometers away. Those conditions seem to be better to resolve controversy over the safety of the radar.
Right after Kim’s news conference, Gimcheon residents formed a protest committee that is planning to stage a large-scale rally Wednesday with around 10,000 residents.
Gimcheon City Council also issued a statement, saying, “The Lotte golf club is very close to Gimcheon, which means Gimcheon will suffer the damage of the THAAD deployment. We are opposed to the deployment at the golf club.” [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but the Sky Hill Golf Resort is not 18 kilometers from residential areas. On Google Earth I measure downtown Gimcheon as being 7 kilometers away from the golf resort and smaller villages outside of the city are even closer.
The article also discusses the other point I brought up earlier this week in regards to the need to purchase private land from the Lotte Group. It seems to me to get this system deployed as quickly as possible leasing the land would be the fastest solution until a longer term agreement can be reached.
For the residents of Seongju they will need to decide if they still care about the THAAD deployment if its moved to the alternate site that is no longer in their backyard:
Residents of Seongju county in North Gyeongsang Province are reviewing an alternative location for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery at the county office, Saturday. / Yonhap
Residents living near a government-chosen site for a U.S. anti-missile system failed Saturday to discuss whether to review an alternative location due to opponents’ protest.
Residents of the southern county of Seongju held a meeting to discuss whether they can consider picking an alternative site for the government’s move to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) inside the county.
But they failed to reach a consensus over whether to review the alternative location as some of them insisted that the government should scrap its plan to deploy a THAAD battery on their county. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but here is a Google Earth image I put together that shows the two proposed THAAD locations:
As the image shows the problems with the THAAD deployment moves from Seongju’s backyard to Gimcheon’s. So will the people of Gimcheon now complain about the deployment? I guess time will tell, but that is the problem with THAAD in South Korea it will always be radiating over someones backyard.
One thing for sure is that the cost of the deployment of THAAD is going to skyrocket by having to purchase or lease the Lotte Sky Hill Golf Resort land from the Lotte corporation compared to deploying the THAAD on government owned ROK Air Force land at the first THAAD site outside of Seongju.
