U.S. Armed Forces Made Public THAAD Base in Guam

The United States showed its military base in Guam and THAAD system located in the region to the South Korean Ministry of National Defense and media on July 18. Still, some are pointing out that the disclosure of the information is insufficient because the X-band radar (AN/TPY-2), launch pads and operation control center were made public in part.

The disclosure was determined in negotiations between the South Korean and U.S. governments so that controversies surrounding the electromagnetic waves, generator noise and environmental damage of the system to be located in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province can be settled.

“Guam and Seongju are different from each other in that the former is a coastal area and the latter is an inland area,” said an expert, adding, “In order to resolve disputes, an environmental impact assessment has to be carried out in the presence of county residents.” He went on to say that the THAAD base in Guam emits radar beams toward the sea with no village present within a distance of three kilometers whereas the THAAD system to be housed in Seongju County is likely to emit beams toward inland regions with Seongju-eup located at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

In the meantime, the U.S. and Republic of Korea Armed Forces announced on July 17 that they would conduct a three-stage environmental impact assessment in the country to find out how harmful the electromagnetic waves can be. Both the South Korean and U.S. governments are expecting that this assessment will help alleviate the concerns of the public with regard to the system’s possible damage to the human body and agricultural crops.