The location where the THAAD system will be deployed has not been revealed yet. But South Korean media say it might be placed at the US military base of Camp Carroll in North Gyeongsang Province. Local residents strongly oppose the plan and are organizing a massive protest. But this is not the first time local residents voiced their distrust of the US army.
Camp Carroll is a US military logistics base at South Korea's Chilgok county of North Gyeongsang Province.
In 1978, the US army had buried large numbers of drums containing defoliant -- or chemicals used to defoliate bushes -- that left guerilla forces nowhere to hide.
Defoliants can pollute water and soil, and can cause cancer and fetal deformities. The US army knew of the harmful effects of defoliants, so it asked South Korean troops to spray it.
"I only got the order of spraying the defoliant and didn't know it was toxic. I even touched it with my hand. And I put my clothes in the packing boxes," said a former South Korean soldier.
"It was really itchy, I sometimes wanted to tear my skin off. I couldn't sleep at night," said a former South Korean soldier
But the US army still buried leftover drums near Camp Caroll.
"They called it 'the disposal ditch,' up on the back side of the base, or the D Area. There were three big helicopter pads," said former US soldier to S. Korea.
The defoliant issue was exposed by media in 2011. The investigation into it, however, ended up with nothing.
Local residents have been furious about the issue. And now, there's another impending US military presence in their area -- the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea.
"We strongly oppose the deployment of THAAD system in Chilgok County! Not a chance," said a Chilgok resident.
"We will organize a protest, with all 130 thousand Chilgok residents signing against the deployment," said the head of resident committee of Chilgok County.
South Korean media have question the government for its decision to allow the THAAD deployment in the country. They say the presence of a US missile system on the Korean peninsula will just complicate the security situation in the region.
