South Korea was expected to unveil the result next week of a small-scale assessment of environmental impact on the site where part of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is being deployed.
An unnamed presidential Blue House official was quoted by Yonghap news agency as saying Friday that the result of the small-scale green audit, which is now under way, would be announced next Monday though it was not fixed.
The defense ministry was quoted as saying the environmental impact assessment was in the final stage, noting that if the assessment is completed, construction works for the THAAD site and the temporary deployment of four more THAAD launchers would be conducted through consultations with the U.S. side.
It indicated the possible installation of four more THAAD launchers at any time after the green audit result is made public.
On April 26, two mobile launchers and other THAAD elements were delivered in the middle of night to the THAAD site in southeast South Korea.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took office on May 10, ordered the temporary installation of four more launchers after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s tests of what it called an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in July.
A THAAD battery is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, the AN/TPY-2 radar and the fire and control unit.
South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo was scheduled to visit Washington later this month to hold talks with his U.S. counterpart James Mattis on Aug. 30.
Seoul's defense ministry said any dialogue agenda for the bilateral meeting had not been decided upon yet, but the further THAAD deployment could be discussed at the upcoming talks.
The ministry was quoted as saying residents living near the THAAD site would be informed of the further installation plan at least a day before the transportation of the THAAD elements.
