MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Hundreds of residents of South Korea's North Gyeongsang Province took to the streets to protest against the deployment of four additional US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile systems in the province, but the protests evolved into clashes with police, local media reported Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Seoul announced the deployment of four additional US THAAD missile systems in North Gyeongsang Province following the recent nuclear test by Pyongyang. The THAAD systems will be deployed on Thursday at a new base in Seongju, 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Seoul.
South Korea — Security News — Clashes reported during protest in Seongju district of North Gyeongsang Province, several wounded #travelaware
— Healix Security (@healix_security) 6 сентября 2017 г.
#SouthKorea: THAAD Convoy is on the way to Seongju right now. Meanwhile protests against it are still ongoing. #Seoul pic.twitter.com/ZePQRXbgN5
— Mikhail D. (@Eire_QC) 6 сентября 2017 г.
According to the Yonhap news agency, nearly 400 residents of a settlement near the US missile defense base in Seongju, where the additional defense systems would be deployed, gathered next to the building of a local community center. The police tried to disperse the protesters, but some of them attempted to entry the building, which prompted the clashes. Some residents were reportedly injured, but no further details have been provided.
On Sunday, North Korea announced that it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile. A number of countries have firmly condemned North Korea's test calling for retaliation.