Protesters turn away U.S. army cars at South Korea THAAD site

A group of activists calls for the suspension of the additional deployment of THAAD, an advanced U.S. missile interception system, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on Monday. Photo by Yonhap

Aug. 28 (UPI) — Local protesters turned away two U.S. military vehicles that attempted to enter the THAAD deployment site Monday in central South Korea.

Residents of Seongju County and activists confronted the army cars near a local village hall, where they have been assembled regularly since the U.S. missile defense system was deployed to the area, Yonhap reported.

U.S. military vehicles were making their way to the THAAD site for the first time since April 26, when the two missile defense launchers were deployed.

The two cars with U.S. Army license plates that were stopped at the site were carrying two U.S. Forces Korea soldiers and a South Korean officer working under USFK, according to the report.

A brief skirmish ensued between South Korean police trying to facilitate passage of the military vehicles, and the protesters, who remain opposed to THAAD deployment despite Seoul’s approval of missile defense on the peninsula.

Protests are also growing outside the U.S. embassy compound in Seoul.

Anti-THAAD activists said Monday they are opposed to the planned deployment of four additional THAAD launchers, Money Today reported.

Six civic groups, including the Seongju Struggle Committee to Stop THAAD Deployment, said “pressure will be placed” on Seoul during an upcoming U.S.-South Korea defense summit on Wednesday.

The groups say South Korea is being overly compliant with U.S. requests, and criticized President Moon Jae-in for not following through with his campaign pledge to review THAAD.

Seongju is the location of permanently installed THAAD launchers.

The site was once a golf course owned by Lotte, a South Korean conglomerate that may have been the target of recent Chinese embargoes.

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