LOTTE GROUP THREATENED BY CHINA AFTER THAAD LAND SWAP|南韓樂天提供美薩德系統用地 中國:後果自負

The board of an affiliate of South Korea's Lotte Group approved a land swap with the government on Monday that will enable authorities to deploy a controversial U.S. missile defence system, or the THAAD. In response, Beiing reiterated its opposition and said that whatever consequences this results in will be entirely South Korea and the US's doing. It also hinted that it will make things difficult for Lotte, which also has business in China. The South Korean Defense Ministry confirmed that it has completed a land swap contract with Korea's sixth largest conglomerate. The land will be used to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System - THAAD. ==MOON SANG-GYUN Spokesperson, South Korean Defence Ministry== South Korea and the United States will carry out plans following the necessary procedures, such as having consultations for land sharing to enable the deployment of the THAAD system within this year. The Lotte Group will swap its golf course in Seongju region, southeast of Seoul with a military base Namyangju region for the THAAD deployment. China shows its opposition for the deployment, since last year China has started restricting the number of South Korean performers, all TV entertainment programs were taken out from major Chinese websites. The Lotte Group's real estate construction was put on hold. Chinese Foreign Ministry warns again, if South Korea continues THAAD deployment, Lotte Group will pay for a huge price and bear its own consequences. ==GENG SHUANG Spokesperson, Chinese Foreign Ministry== China's resolution on opposing the deployment of THAAD is firm, and we will resolutely take necessary actions to safeguard its security interests. All the consequences of that are the responsibility of South Korea and the United States. We strongly urge relevant parties to stop relevant deployment process, and not to move further. THAAD is made by the U.S. Lockheed Martin Corp., it main function is to intercept short and medium range missiles. Since 2008, the U.S. military has deployed THAAD in Hawaii, Guam, Turkey and Israel for intercepting possible ballistic missiles from North Korea. Although the system's intercepting radius is 200 kilometers, but the radar range can go as far as 2,000 kilometers, it's powerful enough to penetrate China's military bases and secrets. This is why China and Russia are in strong oppositions to the deployment. The U.S. military may deploy four to nine transporter launchers in South Korea, each launcher is equipped with eight intercepting missiles. The deployment time may be at the end of May this year. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 南韓第六大企業樂天集團，28號正式跟南韓國防部簽署換地協議，同意提供旗下的高爾夫球場用地，來部署美方的戰區高空防禦系統，也就是俗稱的薩德系統。北京則警告，部署薩德系統的一切後果，將由韓美自行負責，暗示樂天集團在中國的發展將遭遇重大阻礙。 南韓國防部證實，已經與第六大企業樂天集團完成換地簽約儀式，來部署美方的詹區高空防禦系統，也就是俗稱的薩德系統。 ==南韓國防部發言人 文尚均== 南韓跟美方將根據必要的程序來共同執行計畫，包括土地分享的諮詢，以利在今年內完成部署薩德系統。 樂天集團27號跟南韓國防部達成協議，將用該集團位於慶尚北道星州郡的高爾夫球場，與南韓軍方在京畿道南楊州的軍用地互換，配合部署美軍的薩德系統。中國不滿南韓配合美方部署薩德系統，從去年底啟動所謂的限韓令，限制南韓藝人的演出規模，上周南韓所有電視娛樂節目，都已從中國各大網站消失，樂天在中國投資的土地開發案也卡關。中國外交部27號再度警告南韓，如果南韓持續配合部署薩德系統，樂天集團在中國將付出更巨大的商業代價，後果一切自行承擔。 ==中國外交部發言人 耿爽== 中方反對在韓部署薩德系統的意志是堅定的，將堅決採取必要措施維護自身安全利益，由此產生的一切後果由美韓負責。我們強烈敦促有關方停止相關部署進程，不要在錯誤道路上越走越遠。 薩德系統，為美國洛克希德馬丁公司生產，主要功能為攔截飛毛腿等中短程彈道飛彈，從2008年服役至今，美軍已在夏威夷，關島，土耳其，以及以色列等地部署，儘管薩德的攔截半徑約200公里，但雷達掃描範圍可達2000公里，等於在中國後院裝了監視器，軍事機密一覽無遺，這也是中國甚至俄國強烈反對的最主要原因。一般認為美軍將在南韓部署4到9輛輪式發射車，每輛可載8枚攔截導彈，最快今年5月底開始部署。 記者 靳元慶 報導