In South Korea, the US military started moving equipment for the THAAD missile system to its deployment site. The transport of radars and other military gear caused local residents to clash with police forces.
The positioning began early Wednesday morning at a golf course in South Korea, Yonhap reports.
THAAD has been a point of contention among not just residents and law enforcement: Beijing has been an outspoken critic of the THAAD system’s placement in South Korea.
THAAD is a ground-based missile interceptor system primarily designed to thwart medium range missile threats. Chinese government officials see THAAD as an encroachment of US military might in the nation’s backyard. THAAD’s radar elements essentailly provide the US military with eyes into some of China’s missile testing.
Beijing feels it could be used to surveil and disrupt their nuclear program and missile systems.
