Deployment of THAAD in Seongju Confirms It Is Designated To Protect US Forces in Korea

South Korea and the U.S. recently announced that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system would be deployed in Seongju, Gyeongsangbuk Province, South Korea. This confirms that the purpose of the THAAD deployment is to protect U.S. forces in Korea, not the South Korean public, which contradicts South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s assertion that the installation of THAAD is “a matter of survival of the Republic of Korea.” For THAAD to be deployed but unable to guarantee the safety of South Korean citizens is unjustifiable. The fact that THAAD is for the protection of U.S. forces in Korea is easily brought to light when the geographical location of Seongju and THAAD’s range of 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) are compared: if THAAD is installed in Seongju, major U.S. military bases in South Korea such as Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province and Gunsan, Jeollabuk Province, will all be within range of THAAD’s battery. However, Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province, which are more than 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) away from the defense system, will be out of reach.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry as well said that THAAD would be deployed deep inside the country to protect the defense system from North Korea’s new multiple-rocket launcher, which is capable of a 200 km (about 124 miles) range. Further explanations from the ministry emphasized that approximately 20 million citizens in southern Gyeonggi Province would be protected from North Korean nuclear missile threats. If this is the case, the capital area, where the rest of the 20 million citizens reside, will be left defenseless. Although the Defense Ministry stated it would build Patriot missile defense systems in the capital area instead of deploying THAAD, this will only be possible after 2018. It is beyond comprehension why the South Korean government clings to the deployment of THAAD, risking the safety of its citizens and paying a price for its decision by, for example, inciting China’s opposition. So far, the government has said the installation of THAAD is designed “to guarantee the safety of the country and its people and to protect alliance military forces against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.”

Of course, it is not our intention to insist that is unnecessary to protect the U.S. troops and equipment. The safety of the U.S. forces in Korea matters, as does the safety of South Korean citizens. However, it seems absurd to prioritize the protection of the U.S. Army over that of the South Korean public when THAAD is being deployed in South Korea. Moreover, it is questionable as to how the government will persuade China and Russia, which oppose the defense system, if it is considered anything but a “sovereign self-defense measure.” If the government cannot convince China about THAAD, it will negatively impact international cooperation against North Korea’s nuclear program. South Korea is about to sacrifice its diplomatic preparedness against North Korea’s nuclear weapon in order to be militarily prepared.

The announcement by the two countries does not provide any crucial clues as to why the government is pushing the South Korean deployment of THAAD even though it does not fit well within the topography of the Korean peninsula, which has a short depth. This is why there is suspicion that the U.S., by deploying THAAD, is attempting to extend its missile defense system to the peninsula and aiming to designate that region as an outpost. Both China and Russia’s opposition is based on such suspicion. Seoul has to realize it has jumped into the middle of a confrontation between the U.S. and China by dealing with a fire called THAAD.