Suspicions resurface over Washington-led MD

By Chung Min-uck

There are indications that South Korea might participate in a Washington-led missile defense system, or MD, following a recent summit meeting between President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Speculation started after President Obama said in a press conference held right after Tuesday’s summit that the two allies “agreed to continue modernizing security alliance” and, guided by a joint vision, will “invest in the shared capabilities and technologies and missile defenses that allow our forces to operate and succeed together.”

Also in the joint declaration, it states that the two nations would respond to North Korean threats by “strengthening comprehensive, interoperable, and combined defense capabilities,” including “shared efforts to counter the missile threat posed by North Korea.”

According to opposition lawmakers here opposed to the proposal, it indicates that Seoul gave in to Washington’s request to participate in its regional missile defense system.

Washington has continuously asked Seoul to join the MD.

The Washington-led system allegedly seeks to contain the rise of new regional power China as part of Washington’s “pivot to the Asia-Pacific” which aims to strategically “rebalance” U.S. interests from Europe and the Middle East toward this region.

Tokyo joined the regional defense system in 2005.

However, Seoul has so far refused to do so because Beijing, its No.1 trading partner, has objected strongly to the missile defense system, describing it as a means of encircling China militarily.

“We are deeply concerned over Seoul’s involvement to the MD following the summit meeting,” said Rep. Park Yong-jin, a spokesman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), in a statement, Thursday. “Despite mounting threats from North Korea, President Park should not rashly decide to take part in the system as it could lead to friction with China.”

Rep. Shin Kyung-min, a supreme council member of the DP, appearing on a radio show Thursday also criticized President Park for tacitly accepting Washington’s offer.

Against this, Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing, Thursday, “The South Korean army has its own indigenous missile defense system” adding that, with regard to Washington’s MD, the two allies are “only sharing information.”

“We are not rejecting the MD,” Kim said. “Our stance is that we will cooperate under a certain range when necessary.”