South Korean President Park Geun Hye Reviews Deployment Of Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System Amid Tension With North Korea
President Park Geun Hye announced her administration's plan to review the prospect of permitting the U.S. military to deploy Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in the country amid tension with its rival, North Korea. The latter recently claimed it has conducted a hydrogen bomb test, causing uproar from other countries.
The Hankyoreh reported Thursday that the announcement could inflame controversy because of the direct suggestion to review the deployment of an advanced missile defense system in South Korea.
"Taking the North's nuclear and missile threats into consideration, I will review the issue of deploying THAAD here based on security and national interests. That is the bottom line," the South Korean leader announced, as noted by Korea Times Wednesday.
"South Korean security and national interest are the only two criteria that we will consider should we deploy THAAD in future," Park added.
According to reports, the U.S. government has been open about its desire to deploy THAAD in South Korean soil. However, Park administration has been hesitant since China firmly counters the idea.
China believes that the presence of the THAAD missile defense system would be a threat to its security. The country immediately commented regarding Park's announcement Wednesday.
"When a country considers one's security, one must consider other neighboring nations' security as well," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said, as noted by NK News Thursday.
Meanwhile, a Ph. D candidate at Fudan University said "trying to use THAAD as leverage with China is counterproductive."
"The South Korean government has just secretly admitted that the issue of THAAD and its deployment are actually pointed at China, not North Korea's missiles as the government previously said," Lee Chang Ju told NK News.
A Chinese expert added, "President Park's message should be read as showing Seoul's firmness on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, even by bringing up the matter that Beijing is uncomfortable."
"Beijing is facing a great dilemma; it was Xi Jinping who was most ashamed by Pyongyang's recent nuclear test. Of course Xi will not sacrifice North Korea and shut down the country's economy, but should South Korea remain firm and send the message, China will consider increasing the level of sanctions against the North," said Lee Jung Nam, Center for Chinese Studies director.
THAAD is a system of interceptors utilized for missile defense expanded by American global aerospace company Lockheed Martin.