By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The Defense Ministry briefed the presidential power transition team on the U.S.-led global missile defense (MD) network on Jan. 8, but not in detail, according to a government source.
``In a report to the transition team, the ministry explained defense reforms, transfer war time operational control, U.N. peace-keeping forces,'' the source said. ``The MD was also included.''
He said that the ministry just introduced several issues but did not show any position on them. ``Personally, I think the MD should be carefully decided by the next government,'' he said.
Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman of the transition team, commenting on the issue, stressed that the discussion does not imply Korea's participation.
``Like the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), we should deal with the MD very carefully,'' he said. The PSI is the U.S.-led international effort to stop the transfer of weapons of mass destruction by intercepting ships carrying those weapons or related materials.
Korea has not participated in the MD, aimed at intercepting high-altitude ballistic missiles due to the opposition of North Korea, China and Russia and financial burdens. Japan is joining the MD.
Korea also remains an observer in the PSI though the United States calls for full participation. Because of concerns that participation could lead to clashes with North Korea and spoil its engagement policy toward North Korea, the liberal Roh Moo-hyun government was hesitant to join the PSI.
Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo clearly expressed his opposition to Korea's joining the MD system and the PSI, citing financial problems during a press conference earlier this month.
However, the presidential power transition team is considering participation given its focus on more strengthened relations with the United States. Plus, senior officials in the team are reportedly for the participation.
Hyun In-taek, one of the two major foreign policy makers of the incoming government with Rep. Park Jin, has been proposing Korea's participation in the MD and the PSI.
Briefing transition team officials on Jan. 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also said that Korea should become a full member of the PSI alongside some 70 other countries.
Stephen Costello, an analyst of ProGlobal Consulting in Washington, said participation would lead Korea to strengthen its alliance with the United States and boost the nation's regional and global security profile.
``This is possible now due to the return to engagement of North Korea by the United States, and it should help Korea integrate logistical, bureaucratic and technical aspects of national security,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Korea will equip its Aegis destroyers with far-reaching sea-to-air missiles to intercept North Korea's long-range missiles, according to a military source, Sunday.
``We've concluded negotiations for the purchase of SM-6 long-range missiles from the U.S. so we can equip Sejong the Great, which we launched last year, and two more Aegis destroyers, soon to be built, with missiles that can intercept North Korean ballistic missiles," the source said.
He said that the introduction of the SM-6 missiles is not related to the MD but part of the military's independent move to establish a lower-level defense system.