South Korea's defense ministry delayed the planned measurement of electromagnetic wave and noise near the site where the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is deployed, according to local media reports.
The defense ministry originally planned to measure the level of noise and electromagnetic wave on Thursday near the THAAD site together with the environment ministry.
An unnamed defense ministry official told local reporters that the plan was postponed due to several situations on the site.
Officials of the defense and environment ministries were planned to move by helicopter into the former golf course in Seongju county, North Gyeongsang province, but the chopper failed to take off due to a bad weather, according to local media reports.
They sought to move by chopper as residents and peace activists are blocking a sole entrance road to the site to prevent more THAAD elements from being deployed in their hometown.
Two mobile launchers and other THAAD elements were installed, and four more THAAD launchers were delivered to a U.S. military base near Seongju. A THAAD battery is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, AN/TPY-2 radar and the fire and control unit.
The ministry asked the residents to participate in the measurement, but the villagers refused it as they believed the measurement was aimed to make the deployment decision a foregone conclusion.
The THAAD radar is known to emit super microwave, which is detrimental to human body and environment, but the defense ministry's past measurement showed a very low level of electromagnetic wave being emitted from the radar.
The residents believed that it was manipulated as the level of microwave would have been very high if the radar is in a full operation.
