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US to renegotiate THAAD deal with S. Korea: Trump's security adviser

The United States will renegotiate the terms of the THAAD missile defense system's deployment to South Korea, and until then, will stick to the existing deal that commits the U.S. to pay for the system, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said Sunday.McMaster made the remark during an interview with "Fox News Sunday," rejecting reports that he contradicted President Donald Trump and promised the U.S. will pay for THAAD when he spoke by phone with his South Korean counterpart Kim Kwan-jin.The phone call came after Trump said the South should pay for the $1 billion system. The demand sparked a firestorm in South Korea because it runs counter to a deployment deal in which the U.S. agreed to pay for the system in exchange for Seoul's agreement to host it and provide land for it."The last thing I would ever do is contradict the president of the United States, you know? And That's not what it was. In fact, what I told our South Korean counterpart is until any renegotiation that the deal is in place. We'll adhere to our word," McMaster said."What the president has asked us to do is to l

May 1, 2017

US to renegotiate THAAD deal with S. Korea: Trump's security adviser

No South Korea's payment for THAAD operation: S. Korean, US security chiefs reaffirm

The national security chiefs of South Korea and the United States on Sunday reaffirmed their initial agreement that Seoul will only provide land for the U.S. deployment of a high-tech missile defense system here without further costs as demanded by President Donald Trump.National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin and his American counterpart H.R. McMaster reconfirmed the stance during a phone conversation held earlier in the day at the request of the U.S. side, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.In an interview with Reuters last week, Trump said he wants South Korea to pay for the US$1 billion for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system which is now being fielded in South Korea to better defend the country against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.In another press interview with the Washington Times published on Saturday (Korean time), he again said, "Why should we pay for it? ... I respectfully say that I think it would be appropriate if they paid for it."Trump's remarks run counter to the allies' much-published initial consent that the

Apr 30, 2017

Former US official blasts Trump's THAAD payment demand

By Lee Han-sooJohn KirbyJohn Kirby, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State under the Obama administration, has blasted U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks that South Korea should pay for the U.S. THAAD missile defense system.Saying that Trump did not understand the “contours of our alliance with South Korea,” the retired Admiral wrote in an opinion piece on CNN that Trump should not view the THAAD deployment as a real estate deal.Referring to Trump’s ambiguous price tag on the missile defense system, Kirby also said the THAAD deployment was not sold but deployed by U.S. forces in Korea. “THAAD deployment is just that, a deployment. And like every other military deployment, while we may need the use of certain domestic facilities and physical sites, it's still our stuff and using it is still our responsibility,” wrote Kirby.  “It's not clear at all where the President got his $1 billion figure. That's about what the system costs us [United States.] to buy, but operating costs are much lower. And since we aren't selling it

Apr 30, 2017

Former US official blasts Trump's THAAD payment demand

S. Korea, US finish joint military exercise amid tensions

South Korea and the United States on Sunday wrapped up their two-month combined defense drills amid unrelenting tensions on the Korean Peninsula."The Foal Eagle exercise is ending today as scheduled," a South Korean military official said.The allies kicked off the annual Foal Eagle drills, a major field-training exercise, at the start of March involving more than 10,000 American troops including those from military bases abroad. Hundreds of thousands of South Korean soldiers joined in as well.The U.S. troops from outside of the peninsula will soon return to their bases, added the official.A host of strategic assets from the U.S. took part in the training, such as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, F-35 stealth fighter jets and B-1B bombers, as a show of force.This year's exercise came amid North Korea's continued provocations, which include ballistic missile launches and war threats.The Vinson is on its way back to waters near Korea reportedly for another round of joint drills with South Korean warships."Despite the end of Foal Eagle, there will be no change in the defense posture

Apr 30, 2017

S. Korea, US finish joint military exercise amid tensions

Trump baffles Seoul over THAAD, FTA

In the top left photo, elements of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery are being installed on a former golf course in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. In the bottom left photo, members of the Korean Federation of Environmental Movements stage a protest against the deployment of the anti-missile system at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Friday. In the right photo, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Department of the Interior in Washington, Wednesday. Trump said in an interview with Reuters Thursday that Seoul should pay the cost for the battery which is around $1 billion. / AP-YonhapPayment call will turn public against THAADBy Jun Ji-hyeU.S. President Donald Trump has abruptly demanded that Seoul pay $1 billion for the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, stoking negative public sentiment against the anti-missile system.In response to the unexpected, deal-breaking remark, the Ministry of National Defense said Friday that Washington should pay any costs in accordance with the two countries’ Status

Apr 28, 2017

Security team slammed over THAAD decision

Independent lawmaker Kim Jong-hoon speaks in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Thursday, after filing a complaint against acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Defense Minister Han Min-koo, National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin and Foreign Affairs Minister Yun Byung-se. The lawmaker claimed they gave up the national interest by allowing the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, which he said should have been left to the next government. / YonhapBy Kim RahnActing President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and Defense Minister Han Min-koo face strong criticism for hastening deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.Critics say the rush is aimed at completing the installation before the next government is launched following the May 9 election, so the deployment decision cannot be reversed. As THAAD is a key security issue in the election, they say Hwang and Han may have attempted to interfere in the election, failing to  maintain their political neutrality.Key ele

Apr 27, 2017

Security team slammed over THAAD decision

S. Korean Navy to test unmanned ship

LIG Nex 1's unmanned ship / YonhapSouth Korea's Navy will start the trial operation of an unmanned ship next month, the country's newly developed weapon mainly for use on the tense sea border with North Korea, the state arms procurement agency said Thursday.The Defense Acquisition Program Agency (DAPA) launched a 3.3 billion won ($2.9 million) project in late 2015 to develop an unmanned surface vessel in partnership with LIG Nex 1, a local defense firm.The production of the 8-meter-long, 3-ton ship with a maximum speed of 30 knots was completed in November last year. Its weapon systems include a chain gun, water cannon and guided weapons.Its functions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, ship chasing and obstacle avoidance, will be demonstrated at the Navy Operation Command in Busan later in the day, said DAPA."It will be test-operated by the Navy from May to July" for the determination of the details of its required operational capabilities, it added,DAPA officials said it could be a model for the military to take the initiative in developing and using autonomous mobile robot te

Apr 27, 2017

Moon expresses strong regret over THAAD

A military vehicle carrying parts of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system moves to a golf course in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday, while police confront local residents protesting the deployment. The U.S. Forces Korea pushed for an overnight operation to transport THAAD elements including its radar to the site to begin the controversial installation. / Yonhap US rushes to deploy equipment for anti-missile batteryBy Jun Ji-hyeLeading presidential candidate Moon Jae-in said Wednesday that he strongly regretted the rush to start the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province.Moon of the Democratic Party of Korea said the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), which pushed for a surprise overnight operation to transport elements of the anti-missile system, ignored due procedure and the opinion of the South Korean people.The USFK brought the AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar, mobile launchers and other parts, needed to set up the THAAD unit, to a former golf course in Seongju by trailers and

Apr 26, 2017

EXCLUSIVE 'Until Kim Jong-un caves in, sanctions must continue': diplomat defector

'Trump cannot be trusted on THAAD'

U.S. President Donald Trump / AP-YonhapBy Jung Min-ho A senior White House official, who visited South Korea with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence last week, said it was up to Korea’s next president to decide whether or not to complete the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here.Then suddenly, two weeks before the election, the U.S. military started moving parts of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to a site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday.The operation started at 4 a.m. when no one was expecting it. Hundreds of residents woke up to the news and protested the transportation of the THAAD equipment, but they could not stop it.The operation again proves how unpredictable U.S. foreign policy is under President Donald Trump and how risky it is to naively believe him or his people, experts say.“Everything happened when no one was prepared,” said Kim Sung-joo, an honorary professor at Sungkyunkwan University. “The deployment of THAAD will leave few diplomatic options for the next president.”He al

Apr 26, 2017

PHOTOS THAAD installation begins amid residents' protests

Military trucks containing parts of THAAD anti-missile defense system are making their way to its designated deployment site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday. / YonhapU.S. troops in South Korea began installing the equipment of an advanced missile defense system at a site in a southeastern region of the country, facing fierce protests from local residents.The overnight, unannounced operation came just six days after U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) secured the land in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from the South Korean government. A joint environmental survey required under the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is not done yet, according to officials.The allies signed a deal last year to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the peninsula to help intercept North Korea's ballistic missiles.Six trailers reportedly carrying the high-profile radar of the THAAD system and other elements were seen entering the site.USFK issued no statement on the sensitive issue, but South Korea's Ministry of National Defense confirmed the start of the ful

Apr 26, 2017

Defense

Defense

US to renegotiate THAAD deal with S. Korea: Trump's security adviser

No South Korea's payment for THAAD operation: S. Korean, US security chiefs reaffirm

Former US official blasts Trump's THAAD payment demand

S. Korea, US finish joint military exercise amid tensions

Trump baffles Seoul over THAAD, FTA

Security team slammed over THAAD decision

S. Korean Navy to test unmanned ship

Moon expresses strong regret over THAAD

'Trump cannot be trusted on THAAD'

PHOTOS THAAD installation begins amid residents' protests

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