Saenuri vows to organize joint consultation group to tackle THAAD

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party said Wednesday it will move quickly to form a joint consultation group made up of the military, the government and Seongju residents to discuss the deployment of an advanced anti-missile defense system in the country.

Residents of Seongju, located 296 kilometers southeast of Seoul, have strongly protested the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, amid lingering rumors of health risks caused by its powerful X-band radar. Locals have also voiced displeasure with the lack of transparency in the decision-making process.

"We do not plan to ignore the people of Seongju," Chung Jin-suk, the floor leader of Saenuri said. The party whip, however, also highlighted that national security also stands as a crucial issue.

Chung suggested that negotiations must be held between residents, government policymakers, the military, and parties to settle the dispute, and verify that the missile system poses no threats to people's heath.

"There must be a transparent and scientific ways to verify (the safety), as the residents remain anxious due to the limited information and unclear media reports," Chung added.

colin@yna.co.kr
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