(LEAD) S. Korea completes land provision process for THAAD deployment

All News 17:39 April 20, 2017

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info from 2nd para)

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has completed the process to provide a site for the deployment of the advanced U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Heavy equipment from USFK enters a THAAD deployment site in Seongju, southeast South Korea, on April 20, 2017. Some local residents protested the move. (Yonhap)

Since the official announcement of a decision to install a THAAD battery in South Korea, Seoul and Washington have been negotiating the use of a golf course in the southeastern county of Seongju for the deployment led by the United States Forces Korea (USFK).

"After the process on the THAAD land provision began March 2 under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the South Korean Ministry of National Defense and the USFK filed for a permission from the joint (South Korea-U.S.) SOFA committee for the land transfer," the ministry said in a brief press release.

"The chief of the joint committee approved it on Thursday, wrapping up the SOFA process," it said.

The SOFA is part of the South Korea-U.S. defense treaty, which governs the status of U.S. forces stationed here and the latest action will allow the USFK to expedite the THAAD deployment.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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