Buddhists Join Protest Against THAAD

Latest news from South Korea about the fight against US deployment of THAAD 'missile defense' system:

Amid heavy rain, more than 500 Won-Buddhism monks and followers held a silent meditation meeting in protest to the possible deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense).

In the afternoon of Sept. 12, just before the Chuseok (fall harvest) holidays (Sept. 14 to 18), 530 Won-Buddhism monks from the nationwide gathered in the center of Seoul and made a silent meditation meeting in protest to the possible deployment of the THAAD and for the settlement of peace in Korea. Despite the heavy rain, they did not move at all and kept the site for 40 minutes.

The Chojeon area, the 3rd candidate place in Seongju for the possible deployment of the THAAD is just 500 meters distant from one of the sacred sites of Won-Buddhism, one of the seven religious orders in Korea.

Part of a newspaper article reads, “The followers slowly moved in two lines to surround the lawn in the Gwanghwamun Square. They posited themselves under the ‘Stars and Stripes’ flag of the US embassy and unfolded a banner that reads “Withdraw THAAD deployment plan. Settle the peace in the Korean peninsula.’ Then after a while, the rain began to strongly gust. The prayer meeting for the ‘withdrawal of the THAAD,’ was progressed with a longer silence compared to the prayer meeting in opposition to the THAAD, in front of the ROK Ministry of National Defense on Sept. 7th.”