Seoul to persuade Beijing on THAAD

By Kang Seung-woo

Kim Kwan-jin National Security Office chief

The government is moving to ease China’s concerns about the possible deployment of U.S. missile interceptors on Korean soil.

National Security Office (NSC) chief Kim Kwan-jin is expected to undertake this hard mission on a visit to Beijing to meet with State Councilor Yang Jiechi in October.

Government officials have recently dropped hints that they would not object to the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) plan to bring in a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

The advanced missile-defense system that has a range of up to 200 kilometers is regarded as an indispensable element of the U.S. missile defense system.

"The NSC chief will try and acquire China’s understanding on THAAD," a government official said. The resumption of six-party talks aimed at stopping North Korea’s nuclear programs would also be on the agenda, he said.

The U.S. has reportedly completed its survey of candidate sites for THAAD, with a final decision likely to be made before the annual defense ministers' Security Consultative Meeting in October.

China is anxious about Washington’s defense shield, which purportedly aims to neutralize the North’s ballistic missile attacks but, on a large scale, is seen to weaken Beijing’s projection of nuclear capability.

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked President Park Geun-hye to tread carefully over the deployment of THAAD batteries during his state visit to Seoul in July, according to diplomatic sources.

In July, Russia's foreign ministry said that THAAD deployment can cause concern and it would inevitably have a negative impact on the strategic situation in the region. Moscow also warned of the possibility that it could provoke an arms race in Northeast Asia.

"China will never agree to the U.S. plan," said Paik Hak-soon, a researcher at the Sejong Institute. He added that Kim may have to visit Russia in the future.

Seoul is sticking to a peculiar approach on the U.S. missile shield.

Its officials have publicly stated that Seoul has no intention to join it, insisting that THAAD can be brought in because its purpose is to protect U.S. soldiers stationed here.

Defense officials say they are developing a low-tier missile shield called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system.

However, Paik said the deployment of the advanced missile interceptor in Korea itself is a de facto sign of Korea joining the U.S. defense system.

"Previous governments stood against the U.S. missile defense system due to possible conflict with China, but now the nation may pay the price from China such as trade retaliation," he said.

Meanwhile, President spokesman Min Kyung-wook said, "The NSC chief currently has no plan to visit China," while the foreign ministry said that nothing has been fixed regarding his trip.