The Defense Ministry is eyeing Seongju County's Lotte Skyhill Country Club golf course, owned by the Lotte Group, for the land needed to deploy THAAD. The environmental impact of such a move is currently being assessed, according to the media outlet.
The exact number of launchers remains uncertain, while sources told Yonhap that up to nine trucks could be deployed. This would amount to a full battery with eight missiles in each launcher.
The THAAD agreement was reached by Seoul and Washington in July. The move came amid growing tensions spurred by North Korea's recurring ballistic and nuclear tests.
The THAAD system has a range of some 200 kilometers (125 miles) and is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage. The move has been criticized by neighboring China and Russia as inappropriate, possibly disproportionate and affecting other countries' interests.
