South Korea asserts its military can counter North Korean threats even if the US relocates some defence assets like THAAD to the Middle East amid the Iran war.
SEOUL: South Korea’s defence ministry stated its military capabilities remain sufficient to deter North Korea, even if the United States redeploys some assets from the peninsula.
The statement responded to a Washington Post report that parts of a US THAAD missile defence system were being moved from South Korea to the Middle East.
“Regardless of whether certain USFK assets are deployed overseas, there is no issue whatsoever with our deterrence posture against North Korea,” the ministry said.
It declined to confirm the specific report about the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system.
President Lee Jae Myung expressed his government’s opposition to the reported move of air defence weapons.
“The stark reality is that we are unable to fully implement our opinions,” Lee acknowledged on Tuesday.
A photo released by Yonhap news agency appeared to show THAAD components being dismantled in Seongju County.
A presidential official called media speculation on sensitive military redeployments “undesirable”.
The official cautioned such reports could impact security interests and relations with key Middle Eastern countries.
The THAAD system was installed in South Korea in 2017, a move that previously sparked strong protests from China.
Washington stations about 28,500 troops and various defence systems in South Korea as a key security ally.