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Vehicles carrying construction materials entered the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in southeastern South Korea on Monday, after police dispersed anti-THAAD protesters.
Twenty-two vehicles carrying construction materials, equipment and workers entered the THAAD base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from around 11:20 a.m. as part of a project to build facilities for troops manning the unit, according to Yonhap.
Riot police try to break up a sit-in by anti-THAAD protesters
Around 200 protesters blocked the bridge leading to the base site by holding a sit-in demonstration there and 3,000 riot police were dispatched to break up the protest.
About 10 people were injured during the clash and five or six of them were taken to the hospital, reported Yonhap.
"It is the defense ministry that deteriorated the situation like this," Yonhap reported, citing Kang Hyun-woo, a leader of the protesters. "Responsibility for all forthcoming consequences rests with the defense ministry that pushed unreasonably ahead with the THAAD base construction."
The US and South Korea agreed to deploy the THAAD system in 2016 and a total of six batteries were installed last year.
The THAAD installation has been opposed not only by people in South Korea, but also neighboring China and Russia.
China and South Korea reached an agreement on THAAD deployment last October and China said it will work with South Korea to return bilateral ties to the normal track.
(CGTN)
