NK threatens to attack over anti-missile system
Park says THAAD is to counter only N. Korea
By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea threatened Monday to make “merciless” retaliatory strikes against South Korea and the United States for the decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on the Korean Peninsula.
“North Korea will make a physical counteraction to thoroughly control THAAD from the moment its location and place have been confirmed in South Korea,” the North’s military said in a statement.
This was Pyongyang’s first reaction to the announcement by Seoul and Washington Friday on the deployment of the anti-missile unit.
“The Korean People’s Army (KPA) has long put not only all the aggressive war means of the enemies but even their attack and logistic bases against North Korea in precision sighting strike range,” the statement carried by the North’s Korean Central News Agency said.
Hours after the threat, President Park Geun-hye said the decision to deploy the anti-missile system is for self defense to ensure the security of South Korea and its people from the North’s continued provocations.
She said the THAAD targets only North Korea, so does not infringe on the security interests of third nations.
“The THAAD unit will be used to counter only North Korean nuclear and missile threats and would not be directed towards any third nations,” Park said during a meeting with her senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae.
“It won’t hurt any strategic and security interests of other nations. The international community understands that we have no intention of targeting other countries.”
The remarks came as China and Russia reacted angrily to the planned deployment, claiming that bringing the missile interceptor here would damage regional security.
According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that THAAD in South Korea far exceeds the Korean Peninsula’s defense needs.
“China had the reasons and rights to question the behind-the-scenes motives of this move, and any excuse for the deployment would be unjustified,” Wang was quoted as saying during a trip to Sri Lanka.
China has claimed that THAAD’s radar could track its military capabilities.
For its part, Russia is also dissatisfied with the THAAD decision.
In response, there is speculation that Moscow may deploy missile and ground units in eastern Russia to counter the influence of the THAAD deployment.
Amid the growing opposition, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told lawmakers Monday that the government has explained Seoul’s position on the issue to China and Russia.
“The government has explained to the countries that THAAD is a self-defense measure against the North’s evolving nuclear and missile programs. Going forward, the government will take every possible measure to cope with the threats,” the minister said.
President Park said that the government will make efforts to find the optimal site for a THAAD battery that will meet environmental, health and safety requirements for South Koreans.
Residents from candidate locations, including Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province, are protesting against the U.S. missile defense system coming to their towns because the electromagnetic waves emitted by its radar carry potential safety and environmental threats.
The defense ministry plans to announce the site for the THAAD battery as early as next week.
In response to the North’s first warning, the South Korean defense ministry said the North needs to clearly see who is responsible for putting the Korean Peninsula’s peace and security at risk before criticizing the deployment decision.
“If North Korea continues its groundless claims and rash actions in defiance of our warnings, it will have to face our military's stringent retaliation,” ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said in a briefing.