Seoul must have open discussion, make clear position
It seems increasingly clear that the United States has decided to deploy its new missile defense system in South Korea. What's unclear is Seoul's position on this issue, causing confusion and controversy not just between the two governments but among ordinary Koreans as well.
In the past couple of days, one ranking U.S. official after another has stressed the need for deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, here. At the peak of the escalating pressure was Frank Rose who, not fitting his post as assistant secretary for arms control, hinted at "permanent stationing" of the U.S. missile shield in this country.
Officials in Seoul, who have merely stuck to a "three-no" (no consultation, no request, no decision) position, appear embarrassed ― even displeased. The same officials previously showed displeasure with China, too, when Beijing all but explicitly cautioned Seoul against introducing THAAD. If diplomacy is to attain goals while minimizing friction with foreigners, the Park Geun-hye administration seems to have the worst diplomatic players.
In response to stepped-up U.S. pressure, an official reportedly said, "It will be enough to deal with the matter if and when the U.S. sends us its final position, won't it?" If past experiences are any guide, however, it will be too late to reverse the U.S. decision itself if Seoul starts discussion after Washington's notification. President Park's spokesman also said the government will decide by "comprehensively considering what's best for national interests." This comment sounds so banal that it is almost meaningless.
At the root of all this skepticism is Seoul's prevarication on crucial national security issues while studying the faces of giant counterparts. That should never be allowed to happen again as far as this missile defense controversy is concerned. At stake is whether the Korean Peninsula will be the theater of another military buildup, if not a hot war, on a regional, or global, scale, because not just China but Russia have made clear their opposition to seeing the advanced U.S. missile shield operate not very far from their borders.
One of the best, and easiest, ways to ease the Seoul government's burden is to open up the whole debate.
Currently, even experts appear uncertain about too many points: Whether THAAD will only aim at North Korea or regard China or Russia as its potential targets? Will it be of much help for enhancing South Korea's security when Pyongyang can pulverize Seoul and even the South's administrative hub further south with just its long-distance artillery? Who will shoulder the better part of the costs? What can Seoul do if the U.S. pushes ahead with deploying it on the U.S. bases, allegedly to protect American troops?; and, are these disputes between the two allies real or have they already made some behind-the-scenes agreement?
If South Koreans remain in the dark about all these doubts until the final hours and ends up holding the bag, the bilateral alliance will be set back beyond repair in the minds of people.
One thing seems crystal clear at the least ― the deployment of THAAD and the consequent rise of tension on this peninsula will make any negotiated settlement of the North Korean nuclear crisis look like bygone dreams, reason enough for Seoul to unequivocally say "no." As seen in Pyongyang's calling off the scheduled visit Thursday to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, inter-Korean relations are going from bad to worse.
All this shows why Seoul must bring the debate to the National Assembly; the sooner the better.
It seems increasingly clear that the United States has decided to deploy its new missile defense system in South Korea. What's unclear is Seoul's position on this issue, causing confusion and controversy not just between the two governments but among ordinary Koreans as well.
In the past couple of days, one ranking U.S. official after another has stressed the need for deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, here. At the peak of the escalating pressure was Frank Rose who, not fitting his post as assistant secretary for arms control, hinted at "permanent stationing" of the U.S. missile shield in this country.
Officials in Seoul, who have merely stuck to a "three-no" (no consultation, no request, no decision) position, appear embarrassed ― even displeased. The same officials previously showed displeasure with China, too, when Beijing all but explicitly cautioned Seoul against introducing THAAD. If diplomacy is to attain goals while minimizing friction with foreigners, the Park Geun-hye administration seems to have the worst diplomatic players.
In response to stepped-up U.S. pressure, an official reportedly said, "It will be enough to deal with the matter if and when the U.S. sends us its final position, won't it?" If past experiences are any guide, however, it will be too late to reverse the U.S. decision itself if Seoul starts discussion after Washington's notification. President Park's spokesman also said the government will decide by "comprehensively considering what's best for national interests." This comment sounds so banal that it is almost meaningless.
At the root of all this skepticism is Seoul's prevarication on crucial national security issues while studying the faces of giant counterparts. That should never be allowed to happen again as far as this missile defense controversy is concerned. At stake is whether the Korean Peninsula will be the theater of another military buildup, if not a hot war, on a regional, or global, scale, because not just China but Russia have made clear their opposition to seeing the advanced U.S. missile shield operate not very far from their borders.
One of the best, and easiest, ways to ease the Seoul government's burden is to open up the whole debate.
Currently, even experts appear uncertain about too many points: Whether THAAD will only aim at North Korea or regard China or Russia as its potential targets? Will it be of much help for enhancing South Korea's security when Pyongyang can pulverize Seoul and even the South's administrative hub further south with just its long-distance artillery? Who will shoulder the better part of the costs? What can Seoul do if the U.S. pushes ahead with deploying it on the U.S. bases, allegedly to protect American troops?; and, are these disputes between the two allies real or have they already made some behind-the-scenes agreement?
If South Koreans remain in the dark about all these doubts until the final hours and ends up holding the bag, the bilateral alliance will be set back beyond repair in the minds of people.
One thing seems crystal clear at the least ― the deployment of THAAD and the consequent rise of tension on this peninsula will make any negotiated settlement of the North Korean nuclear crisis look like bygone dreams, reason enough for Seoul to unequivocally say "no." As seen in Pyongyang's calling off the scheduled visit Thursday to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, inter-Korean relations are going from bad to worse.
All this shows why Seoul must bring the debate to the National Assembly; the sooner the better.
