Seoul wants THAAD, but do Koreans?
A prime minister pelted with eggs, letters written in blood and fears over irradiated melons: why not everyone’s welcoming the US missile defence system
The plush green hills and winding streams of Seongju present visitors with a tranquil beauty that betrays the intensity of recent events.
A small agrarian town, Seongju is known for its yellow melons, natural scenery – and for being the place Seoul has chosen to install a US-built antiballistic defence system.
The system, known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, has triggered a massive dispute and pushed the region to the brink of war. After Seoul announced its installation, Pyongyang fired a missile in order to demonstrate that its weapons could comfortably reach the town of Seongju.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye defends THAAD and urges Pyongyang to abandon nuclear programme
Moscow and Beijing have strongly protested against THAAD, saying the system’s powerful radar could be used to spy on them. China is considering slapping South Korea with sanctions. Various China-South Korea business deals have been put on hold without any official explanation and Beijing has hinted even K-pop is not off limits if Seoul decides to go down the THAAD road.
Korea’s decision to share information on THAAD with Japan – a fellow US ally with which it has had strained relations – has further raised China’s hackles.
But it is not just China. There is significant resistance to THAAD within South Korea.
