[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] The Rapid Deployment of THAAD

Seongju THAAD Base Environmental Impact Assessment Draft Completed

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The draft environmental impact assessment for the site of the U.S. Forces Korea’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in Seongju, Gyeongbuk, has been completed. A residents’ briefing session on the draft environmental impact assessment is also scheduled for the 2nd of next month.

On the 24th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the draft environmental impact assessment for the Seongju THAAD base has been completed, and public inspection will be conducted from today until the 24th of next month (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) at Seongju-gun (Chojeon-myeon Administrative Welfare Center) and Gimcheon-si (Nongso-myeon Administrative Welfare Center).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The main contents of the draft environmental impact assessment can be checked on the Ministry of Environment’s Environmental Impact Assessment Information Support System, Gimcheon-si’s official website, and Seongju-gun’s official website. Even if the residents’ briefing session cannot be held due to residents’ opposition, holding two attempts at the briefing session will fulfill the requirements for the session, so the military expects to complete the environmental impact assessment within next month. Once the environmental impact assessment is completed, infrastructure construction and building within the base will begin in earnest.

Previously, despite opposition from some residents, the government appointed resident representatives to form an environmental impact assessment council, decided on the evaluation items and scope in August last year, and has been conducting the assessment aiming to complete it by March this year. Since its inauguration, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has expressed its intention to ‘normalize’ the THAAD base, accelerating the environmental impact assessment, the second land provision, and ground transportation of personnel, materials, and fuel. In September last year, the U.S.-South Korea Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) Joint Committee signed the document for the second land provision of the THAAD site, completing the provision of 400,000㎡.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.