Protests mount in China against South Korea’s missile system
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Beijing’s escalating condemnation of South Korea over a U.S. anti-missile system has triggered protests against a popular retail giant and a reported ban on Chinese tour groups visiting the country, apparent signs that Beijing plans to make Seoul pay an economic price over a move that China says threatens its security.
Protests have sprung up in the last few days against Lotte Mart, a South Korean hypermarket chain that sells food, clothing, toys and electronics. Its parent company, Lotte Group, agreed Monday to provide a golf course to the government to site the system. The protests outside Lotte stores and boycotts of its products follow weeks of condemnation of the South Korean government and warnings against Lotte’s move by government officials and state media.
Seoul and Washington say the system is needed to defend against North Korea’s missile threat and is not targeted at any other regional states. China says the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, threatens its security because its radars are capable of peering deep into the country’s north and parts of Russia, allowing Washington and Seoul to monitor flights and missile launches.
Asked about the protests, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Friday: “There are absolutely no anti-THAAD campaigns in China, still less violent campaigns.” He added that Beijing hoped Seoul “can heed the voice of the people and take effective measures to avoid further damage to the China-South Korea relationship.”
