S Korea to deploy US missile defense system to southeastern region

"The terminal and forward-based modes just have difference in software. The conversion takes just several hours," Cheong said at a forum hosted by the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), a local civic group.

"What kind of radar mode Seoul will select does not matter. China's military expert cannot be dispatched to the THAAD battery to supervise its operation," said Kim Joon Hyung, professor of international studies at Handong Global University.

The professor said strong opposition from China and Russia came as the THAAD deployment means South Korea entering a part of the colossal US missile defense network.

The deployment decision brought strong backlashes from the public, especially among people living in the site, on deep worries about a super-strong microwave emitted from the X-band radar.

About 5,000 residents in the Seongju county rallied earlier in the day near the site, with some writing in blood to protest against the deployment, according to local media reports. Some of the residents, including the county head, rode buses bound for the defense ministry's headquarters in Seoul to express opposition to the THAAD deployment.

Seoul selected the county as it is sparsely populated. About 45,000 people reside in Seongju, much lower than other candidate sites such as Chilgok in North Gyeongsang province with some 120,000 residents, Yangsan in South Gyeongsang province with 310,000 people and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi province where around 460,000 people live.

Near the county, the South Korean Air Force's surface-to-air missile battery is located at an elevation of about 400 meters in which the THAAD battery will be located. The Hawk missiles and some 170 soldiers allegedly would be moved nearby to protect the THAAD battery barracks.

The ministry explained that microwave from the THAAD radar will not affect regions 2.4 km away at an elevation of 210 meters and 5.5 km away at a 483-meter elevation. The county's residential area is located about 1.5 km away from the site and some 300 km southeast of the capital Seoul.