THAAD talks likely to lose momentum
Saenuri Party’s defeat expected to derail talks
By Jun Ji-hye
The ruling Saenuri Party’s defeat in the general election may put the brakes on Seoul and Washington’s talks about the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, analysts said, Friday.
The opposition bloc has taken a negative stance on the deployment of the anti-missile system, arguing that it will worsen the nation’s relations with China as well as cause potential safety, health and environmental risks.
Since the North’s Feb. 7 launch of a long-range rocket, the Park Geun-hye government and the ruling party have pushed for THAAD deployment here, citing that it will help enhance national security amid growing missile threats from North Korea.
Now that the ruling party lost its majority in the National Assembly, its push for THAAD may lose steam, according to the analysts.
“As the governing party lost in the 20th general election, some issues over which the ruling and opposition parties have been disputing will emerge again as the subject of political debates,” said Choi Chang-ryul, a professor of political science at Yongin University. “Deployment of a THAAD battery will be one of those issues, and this can put the brakes on the ongoing talks about its deployment with the U.S.”
Sean King, an East Asia specialist with Park Strategies in New York, also said, “South Korea’s various liberal forces are less open to stationing America’s THAAD on ROK territory, which China abhors.”
China is strongly opposed to THAAD deployment in Korea out of concerns that the system’s AN/TPY-2 radar system could snoop on its military activities and missile capabilities.
Concern has also been raised regarding possible health and environmental hazards from radio waves emitted by its radar, as Seoul and Washington began their working-level talks, March 4, to iron out details of the deployment such as possible location.
Even if the allies decide to deploy the missile defense system on the peninsula, the government will still face a number of obstacles leading up to the actual deployment due to possible conflicts in the National Assembly regarding budget matters, experts added.
The 20th National Assembly whose term will begin on May 30 will have 171 liberal lawmakers from three opposition parties out of 300 in total. They will be likely to bring up the issue of THAAD deployment during a parliamentary session regarding how the allies will share its deployment cost.
A possible consequence of the general election on THAAD deployment was handled as an issue during a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing, Thursday.
Brian McKeon, principal deputy under the secretary of defense, told the session that the Saenuri Party lost its parliamentary majority, but the result is not expected to affect Seoul’s position on the issue.
“I don’t think this changes things for President Park and her approach to the deployment,” McKeon told the hearing. “So I think we’re optimistic that we will get to a decision. I just don’t have a timeline for you.”
McKeon said that there have been some meetings out in Korea considering the siting and the funding issues since the allies began their discussion.
Regarding China’s opposition, McKeon added, “We have a firm view as expressed previously this is about protecting our deployed forces and our Korean partners and has nothing to do with China or China’s deterrent and they shouldn’t worry about it.”
Vice Adm. James Syring, head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, also told the hearing that THAAD “can provide fantastic coverage capability for not only our allies, but also for our U.S. deployed forces.”
“I’m confident in the design of the system and its intercept record,” he said, “and if the decision were to be made, I stand by it as the right solution.”
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