SEOUL, April 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korean military airlifted construction equipments to a site where the U.S. missile defense system is to be deployed, indicating an imminent launch of construction, Newsis news agency reported Wednesday.
The local media quoted an unnamed South Korean military official as saying heavy equipments necessary to build facilities and infrastructure inside the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) site were transported by helicopter on Tuesday.
Seoul and Washington agreed in July last year to deploy the THAAD system in southeast South Korea.
The THAAD site was altered in September into a golf course, which Lotte Group exchanged for military land near Seoul. The golf course is located in the northern region of Seongju county, South Gyeongsang province bordering Gimcheon city, home to hundreds of thousands of people.
Seongju and Gimcheon residents have staged candlelit rallies every night, since the THAAD deployment decision, to oppose the U.S. weapon that has the microwave-emitting radar detrimental to human body and environment.
THAAD is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, AN/TPY-2 radar and the fire and control unit. The X-band radar is known to emit super microwaves.
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