Seongju THAAD Base visit by Kim Moon-soo, the Leader of the Liberty Unification Party, “Strengthen the alliance with the US,” “Normalize the Operation of THAAD”

2020-2-18, PenNMike.com (Translation)

Kim Moon-soo (middle), Liberty Unification Party leader walking toward the THAAD Base gate, 2020-2-18

On February 18, 2020, Kim Moon-soo, the leader of the Liberty Unification Party, visited Seongu, where the THAAD Base is located, to report on the situation. The THAAD Base access road was surrounded by leftist groups. He also went there hoping to meet with the US military officials and local officials to emphasize the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Kim arrived at the access road to the THAAD Base around 1 p.m. with about 100 Liberty Unification Party members and about 200 pro-freedom citizens. Along the access road, there were placards and tents by left-wing civic groups calling for the withdrawal of THAAD. Headed by Kim, about 300 people walked up the hill for about 40 minutes from the access road to the base entrance.

Left-wing groups’ anti-THAAD banners on the access road to the THAAD Base (The green rimmed banner: “Nuclear weapons and nuclear development are one! Plant peace, withdraw THAAD!”)

Left-wing groups’ anti-THAAD banners on the access road to the THAAD Base (The closest banner: “No THAAD! Let’s make a peaceful world together.”)

Left-wing groups’ (illegal) tents in the middle of the access road

Pen & Mike interviewed Kim as he walked to the entrance of the base. Kim explained “Building a THAAD base is essential and very urgent for the security and peace of the Republic of Korea…We’re here to support the construction [renovation of the dorms, etc.] and normal operation of the THAAD Base. He continued “We are aware that military supplies are currently transported by helicopters, because they cannot be transported by road (due to the left-wing civic organizations demonstrations and blocking of the access road), and that the base itself is not completed.” He said, “We the Republic of Korean citizens will gather our will and do our best to get the THAAD Base completed as early as possible…We will meet with the base leaders and relevant officials and listen to their predicament and encourage them.”

Food/supplies to the THAAD Base delivered via helicopter (due to road blockage)

However, when the 300 people chanting ‘the ROK-US alliance” and “the Republic of Korea” arrived near the base entrance, layers of police troops sent from the Seongju police station blocked the entrance. A Ministry of Defense official at the scene said, “You cannot enter the U.S. base,” and a Seongju police official said, “It is impossible to enter, and shouting slogans is a violation of the law on assembly and demonstration.” Kim Moon-soo told the Seongju Police official, “It is a contradiction for [the police] to allow the left-wing civic groups to install illegal facilities and sit-in demonstrations, but prevent the chanting of “ROK-U.S. Alliance” and “the Republic of Korea.”

Kim said, “We will file a charge against the Seongju County and Seongju Police for not removing illegal facilities near the THAAD Base in Seongju.” [truncated]

The police blocking the entry to the THAAD Base

When the citizens began complaining to the police blocking the base gate, Kim said, “The police who are here are just doing their job…what’s really wrong is the Jusapa Moon administration. Let’s encourage the young police officers who are doing their best.” When Kim said let’s chant the slogans one more time before we go, the official from the Seongju Police Station repeated “it’s against the law of assembly and demonstrations.” Kim said “We’ll chant our slogans. Arrest me if you must” and chanted with the 300 others “Long Live the Republic of Korea, Long Live Liberty Unification, Long Live the ROK-U.S. Alliance.”

On February 19, Kim would like to meet with the U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris. Kim said in an interview with Penn & Mike “I’ll emphasize that the ROK-U.S. alliance is decisively important to the Republic of Korea’s security and peace” and “I’ll express regret for the trespassing of the Ambassador Harris’ residence and other [bad behaviors] by the anti-U.S. groups and convey the message that the ROK-U.S. alliance supporters, including the Liberty Unification Party, will actively work for a strong ROK-U.S. alliance.

성주=김민찬 기자 mkim@pennmike.com

※The following is the video of the event at Seongju by PenNMike.