Opposition faces calls to set up exit plan in THAAD debate

By Jun Ji-hye

A growing number of opposition lawmakers are calling on their parties to soften their stances on the planned deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here and set up an “exit plan.”

This comes after recent surveys showed that the majority of the public supports the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. According to a Gallup poll conducted from Aug. 9 to 11, 56 percent of respondents backed the deployment, while only 31 percent opposed it.

Opposition lawmakers appear to be divided over whether their parties should continue to oppose the deployment.

Some raised concerns that their parties seem to be losing ground by opposing the deployment amid growing military tension on the Korean Peninsula following North Korea’s continuous missile launches.

They say the opposition side now needs to seek an “exit strategy.”

Rep. Lee Yong-ho of the minor opposition People’s Party told reporters that it is improper to oppose deployment while the North is advancing its nuclear and missile capability.

“We have no choice but to seek an exit strategy,” he told reporters.

The People’s Party officially opposed the deployment soon after the government announced its decision on July 8 to allow the United States Forces Korea (USFK) to deploy a THAAD unit on South Korean soil by the end of next year to better deter evolving threats from Pyongyang.

Since then, the party has maintained this stance, urging the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) to join forces with it.

The MPK’s newly-elected Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae indicated a hard-line stance against THAAD, but the party is finding it increasingly difficult to seek a consensus on the issue due to the public backing of the deployment.

Choo, who was elected chairwoman Saturday, raised the need to adopt a party position against THAAD during her campaign for the party presidency, but ordered her aides, Tuesday, to postpone a related meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, until Sept. 5. The party members were planning to discuss whether to adopt an official stance against THAAD during that meeting.

MPK spokesman Rep. Youn Kwan-suk denied rumors that the party is taking a step back from the opposition against THAAD, saying, “There is no need to hurry. We will listen to various opinions from experts and make a decision at a party meeting.”

But sources say the party leadership was apparently affected by the ruling Saenuri Party’s adoption of an official stance to support THAAD, Tuesday.

From Choo’s point of view, if her party adopts an official stance against THAAD right after the ruling party’s adoption to support the deployment, it will lead to more wrangling between the rival parties, which will disrupt the National Assembly’s discussion on how to improve the people’s livelihood and consequently reduce her party’s popularity.

Following her election, Choo vowed to handle the issues of THAAD and the people’s livelihood separately.

In protest against the leadership’s apparent hesitation to oppose THAAD, 29 MPK lawmakers including Rep. Shim Jae-kwon, who chairs the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, issued a statement, Wednesday, calling for adopting an official stance against THAAD at the earliest possible date.