Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Korea and the U.S. to deploy THAAD in the USFK

“Only to counteract North Korean nuclear and missile threats…will never be pointed at a third country"

To protect the Korean and Korea-U.S. military power

Final decision stage for site selection…to be announced in the coming weeks

“Try to deploy as soon as possible”

The Korean and U.S. governments announced their imminent deployment of THAAD (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense) on July 8. Details of the designated site will also be released in the coming weeks.

The Deputy Minister of the National Defense Policy, Ryu Je-seung, and the Chief of Staff, the U.S. armed forces in Korea, Thomas Vandal, officially announced that consultations were being held with the Korea-U.S. joint working group related to THAAD deployment.

A joint statement read by Mr. Ryu said that as a defensive action to protect Korea and our people from North Korea's nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile threats, as well as to protect the military force of the Korea-U.S. alliance, THAAD would be deployed in the USFK considering the alliance.

In particular, both countries made it clear that the THAAD system that would be deployed in the Korean Peninsula would not point at any other power - only at North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

Furthermore, the Chief of Staff, Vandal, said, “We’re working on protecting the Korean and Korea-U.S. alliance military power from increasing North Korean ballistic missile threats. This is currently a very important decision to develop the competencies of the Korea-U.S. alliance. The alliance should have the capability of self-defense, and THAAD deployment in Korea would improve our missile defensive posture - a major factor in the defense strategy of the Korea-U.S. alliance.”

He also emphasized the goal of site selection, saying that he would try to find the most suitable site that maximizes the military effect of THAAD in Korea and meets environmental, health, and safety standards.

The two nations officially announced their plans to discuss the possibility of THAAD deployment in the USFK in February, and they made an agreement related to the organization of a joint working group in March. Through months of review thus far, the joint working group has confirmed the military effectiveness of the THAAD system that will operate in Korea. At the same time, they have set ‘feasibility assessment criteria’ to select the best site, and will consider potential sites that offer a number of safety-related factors. The two nations have also been carrying out a comparative evaluation of candidates, a simulation analysis and actual inspections.

Mr. Ryu, in his Q&A session with the press, discussed future plans to announce the final site of THAAD deployment within a few weeks, saying that the joint working group is now finalizing its operation results report, and that the deployment site is in its final decision stage as well.

He also said, “Our goal is to operate the THAAD system in the USFK by the end of 2017. We will devote much of our labor to deploy it earlier than we aimed.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >
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