Deployment of THAAD: News & Discussions

[Zarvan]

South Korean official has pushed for the deployment of an advanced US missile system, as a defense against North’s missile and nuclear programs.

Kim Moo-sung, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party was quoted as saying by Yonhap: “It's high time for South Korea to have a forward-looking and aggressive stance on the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery”.

"We should not passively react to North Korea's nuclear issue," Kim said in a meeting with party officials today, noting South Koreans' lives are at stake because of North Korea's nuclear program.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo said last month that South Korea needs to consider deploying the THAAD system from the perspective of national defense.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Pacific commander said that the decision on THAAD deployment in South will be "an alliance decision" that should be taken jointly by the two allies.

"I believe the decision to put THAAD on the Korean Peninsula or even the decision to think about it has to be an alliance decision," Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. told Yonhap during the Jan. 25 interview. "It has to be a decision that's made together between the U.S. and the ROK. It's not our decision to ask the South, and it's not the ROK decision to ask us to bring it. It's an alliance decision".

Seoul's Defense Ministry also said this week that THAAD will be helpful in defense against the North, a remark seen as a step forward, compared with previous statements that focused on denial of any discussions between the two countries on the issue.

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/15...HAAD_Deployment_To_Counter_North#.Vq8bzJp95ko

 

[barbarosa]

SK should not to increase the treat with NK, because they are one nation, they are brothers and sisters. NK will not strike over the SK except the US assets in the SK.SK should to treat the sick brother not to kill him.

 

[Aepsilons]

@pokdo, @Red Mahura @sEoulman556 , input please.

 

[F-22Raptor]

China’s persistent opposition to the U.S.’ potential deployment of an advanced missile defense asset to the Korean Peninsula is triggering questions as to why it is so worried about the system targeting North Korea .

Though the U.S. underscores the defensive nature of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, China appears to believe the system could be used to limit its evolving offensive capabilities and hinder its efforts to project power farther into the Pacific.

Over the last two decades, China has been pushing to develop longer-range missiles and artillery platforms with longer operational ranges, and greater lethality, survivability and accuracy -- so as to keep potential adversaries including the U.S. at bay in case of any conflict.

However, America’s beefed-up missile defense involving the support of its core allies such as South Korea and Japan could help offset China’s missiles and coastal artillery, putting the Asian power at a disadvantage, observers noted.

“The U.S. can launch counterstrikes after fending off missile attacks with a missile defense system. Although the system is defensive, China would think it is being exposed to the threat of U.S. strikes,” said Park Won-gon, security expert at Handong Global University.

“It is an exemplary case of a security dilemma that is induced by a lack of bilateral trust. Due to this dilemma, China believes THAAD represents a security threat to itself, though it is an interception platform, not an offensive system.”

Nam Chang-hee, military expert at Inha University, said that THAAD could pose a “strategic and psychological” burden to China given that U.S. forces in Korea are those closest to China that could be deployed in case of a contingency involving the two major powers.

“From China’s perspective, U.S.’ Osan and Kunsan air bases are the closest staging points in case of a conflict,” he said. “Thus, in light of their military operations, China remains sensitive to any fortified missile defense systems for these bases.”

Nam, however, pointed out that China’s complaints about THAAD are “unfair” given that it has not taken any substantive steps to address North Korea’s missile threats.

“For Seoul, missile defense is an urgent issue to fend off North Korean attacks. Seoul -- facing a serious security challenge -- is not in a position to care too much about China’s complaints,” he said.

Another reason why Beijing remains opposed to the deployment of THAAD is the symbolism associated with the system, a core element of the U.S.’ global multilayered missile shield program.

Observers say that even though it would be operated by the U.S. forces here, the deployment of THAAD would immediately symbolize Seoul’s participation in the U.S. MD program, which China thinks would ultimately target it.

Seoul has been pushing for its own Korea Air and Missile Defense system, arguing that it would develop an indigenous system, called L-SAM, similar to THAAD. Seoul’s Defense Ministry on Monday said that should both L-SAM and THAAD be operated on the peninsula, it would be helpful for the country’s security.

Chinese officials have expressed discomfort over any discussions regarding THAAD, saying that it is hardly understandable that its friendly neighbor like South Korea would do anything to undermine its security interests.

China, in particular, is concerned about an AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar that comes with the THAAD battery. The radar is known to have a detecting range of around 18,000 km, meaning its coverage can go well beyond North Korea to reach China as well.

The U.S.’ fortified missile shield could also complicate China’s nuclear strategy -- deterrence with the threat of unacceptable damage to its adversary through assured retaliation -- and make the emergent Asian power more vulnerable to foreign attacks.

Robust deterrence can be established when there is a clear prospect that an act of aggression will lead to unacceptable damage in return. But when a potential adversary believes it has a defense mechanism strong enough to counter a retaliatory strike, deterrence could crumble.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160201000998

 

[Oldman1]

SK should not to increase the treat with NK, because they are one nation, they are brothers and sisters. NK will not strike over the SK except the US assets in the SK.SK should to treat the sick brother not to kill him.

Its called civil war. It happens.

 

[خره مينه لګته وي]

North Korea's missile launch on 7 February sent shockwaves across the region..reuters


China's foreign minister says a planned US missile defence system to protect South Korea from North Korea could threaten Chinese security.

Wang Yi told Reuters news agency that the system went "far beyond the defence needs of the Korean peninsula".

The US and South Korea announced plans to deploy the system after the North fired a long-range rocket this month.

China and Russia have previously said the system's radar could penetrate deep into their countries.

Talks over deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (Thaad) come amid rising tension between the two Koreas over Pyongyang's recent rocket and nuclear tests.

On Thursday, North Korea vowed to cut two key communication hotlines after Seoul suspended its operations at the jointly-run Kaesong industrial complex in the North.

The US and South Korea have said that Thaad is only designed to protect South Korea from a threat from the North and would not target China or anyone else.

Tensions are high between North and South Korea

But Mr Wang urged the US to rethink its strategy.

"The facts are clear. The deployment of the Thaad system by the United States... goes far beyond the defence need of the Korean peninsula and the coverage would mean it will reach deep into the Asian continent," he said.

"This directly affects the strategic security interests of China and other Asian countries."

He added: "Ordinary people know that the deployment of the Thaad system is not just to defend South Korea, but a wider agenda and may even serve the possibility of targeting China."

Mr Wang also said China would back a UN Security Council resolution to make North Korea "pay the necessary price" for its recent rocket launch.

Pyongyang insists its recent rocket launch was part of a peaceful space programme.

But US officials say it was cover for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the US mainland.

The launch came weeks after Pyongyang conducted a fourth nuclear test. Both acts violate UN Security Council resolutions.


Source BBC

 

[خره مينه لګته وي]

South Korea, U.S. to talk missile defence aimed at North Korea
South Korea shut down an inter-Korean factory park, triggering renewed hostilities between the two Koreas.

SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF—Looking to take a harder line after North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket launch, Seoul and Washington will begin talks as early as next week on deploying a sophisticated U.S. missile defence system in South Korea, officials said Friday.

The new tough stance follows South Korea’s decision to shut down an inter-Korean factory park that had been the rival Koreas’ last major symbol of co-operation, but that Seoul said had been used by North Korea to fund its nuclear and missile programs. North Korea responded by deporting South Korean citizens, seizing South Korean assets and vowing to militarize the park.

South Korea on Friday cut off power and water supplies to the industrial park and announced that its planned talks with the United States on deploying the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, one of the most advanced missile defence systems in the world, could start next week. Officials say they have yet to set a specific starting date for the talks.

South Korean media have long speculated that the two countries are working on a THAAD deployment in South Korea, but it took the North’s rocket launch, which outsiders see as a test of banned ballistic missile technology, for the allies to formally announce they will begin the missile defence talks.

Beijing and Moscow are sensitive to the possibility of THAAD in South Korea; critics say the system could help U.S. radar spot missiles in other countries.

China’s state media quickly made the country’s displeasure known, while Russia also expressed worries about the deployment. North Korea has previously warned of a nuclear war in the region and threatened to bolster its armed forces if the THAAD deployment occurs.

In Munich, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was meeting with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts to discuss the response to North Korea’s actions, including the missile system.

“That’s what we’re talking about today,” Kerry told reporters as he started talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of a Munich Security Conference.

Kerry was to meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se immediately after seeing Wang.

Seoul and Washington want to deploy the system at an early date and the upcoming talks will discuss where and exactly when the deployment can be made, a South Korean defence official said, requesting anonymity because of department rules.

The official said the THAAD deployment is designed to protect South Korea from North Korean threats and isn’t targeting China or anyone else.

The current standoff flared after North Korea carried out a nuclear test last month, its fourth, followed by the long-range rocket launch on Sunday.

In one of its harshest possible options for punishment, South Korea on Thursday began suspending operations at the factory park in the North Korean border town of Kaesong.

The North’s reaction was swift. Calling the suspension a “dangerous declaration of war,” it deported South Korean workers at Kaesong and shut off two key communication hotlines.

The factory park, which started producing goods in 2004, has provided 616 billion won ($780 million Canadian) in cash to North Korea, South Korean Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said.

The Associated Press requested interviews with officials at more than 20 South Korean companies that operated at Kaesong, but none accepted.

Combining South Korean initiative, capital and technology with the North’s cheap labour, the industrial park has been seen as a test case for reunification between the Koreas. Last year, 124 South Korean companies hired 54,000 North Korean workers to produce socks, wristwatches and other goods worth about $500 million (U.S.)

North Korea, in a fit of anger over U.S.-South Korean military drills, pulled its workers from Kaesong for about five months in 2013. But, generally, the complex has been seen as above the constant squabbling and occasional bloodshed between the Koreas, one of the last few bright spots in a relationship more often marked by threats of war.


Source : Toronto Star


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


South Korea, U.S. to discuss missile defense; South cuts power to Kaesong park


South Korea will begin talks with Washington as early as next week on deploying an advanced U.S. missile defense system following North Korea's rocket launch, an official said on Friday, as Seoul cut power to a factory park run jointly with the North.

The discussions would focus on placing one Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) unit with the U.S. military in South Korea after the North's launch last weekend, a South Korean defense official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Seoul and Washington said the test violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.

South Korea on Wednesday suspended operations at the Kaesong industrial zone as punishment for the rocket launch and a nuclear test last month. The zone, located just inside North Korea, had operated for more than a decade.

The North called the move "a declaration of war" on Thursday and expelled the South's workers. Kaesong was the last venue for regular interaction between the divided Koreas.

The 280 South Koreans who had remained in Kaesong rushed to leave the industrial park on Thursday evening, completing the pullout at 11:05 p.m.(1405 GMT), the South's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said.

A few minutes before midnight, the South shut off the supply of electricity into Kaesong that powered the factory zone, the ministry said early on Friday. It also cut the water supply.

RELATED

• › China urges U.N. action to make North Korea 'pay price'
• › Kerry, South Korea counterpart meet to discuss North Korea: State Department

The United States, Japan and South Korea are seeking tougher sanctions against the North following the nuclear test and rocket launch.

Isolated North Korea regularly dismisses the South as a puppet of the United States and just as regularly accuses both of acts of war against it.

U.S. military officials have said the THAAD system was needed in South Korea, but Seoul had been reluctant to openly discuss its deployment as it tried to balance its alliance with the United States and ties with China, its biggest trade partner.

South Korea and the United States said that if THAAD was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on the North.

China and Russia have expressed concern about the potential deployment of a system that operates a radar that could penetrate deep into their territories.

THAAD, built by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final phase of flight.

KAESONG CONFLICT

South Korea accused the North of "illegal" acts by freezing the assets of South Korean companies in Kaesong, warning that Pyongyang would be held responsible for any consequences from the industrial park's suspension.

The Kaesong project employed about 55,000 North Koreans, who were given a taste of life in the South, working for the 124 mostly small- and medium-sized manufacturers that operated there, about 54 km (34 miles) northwest of Seoul.

The average wage for North Korean workers was roughly $160 a month, paid to a state management company. Except for Kaesong, both countries forbid their citizens from communicating with each other across their heavily armed border.

Despite volatile North-South relations, Kaesong had been shut only once before, for five months in 2013 amid heightened tensions following Pyongyang's third nuclear test.


Source : Reuters

 

[Nan Yang]

Russia warns US over deployment of missile defense system to S. Korea
“The appearance of elements of the US global missile defence system in the region — which is characterised by a very difficult security situation — can provoke an arms race in Northeast Asia and complicate the resolution of the nuclear problem on the Korean peninsula,” said the Russian foreign ministry.

“On a more global scale, this step can increase the destructive influence of the US global missile defence system on international security and stability.”

Russia warns US over deployment of missile defense system to S. Korea – Asia Times

 

[Nike]

It's South Korean matter and their own choices, some countries had to starting to respect their decisions. And Anti-Missile Defense System in SK is not without cause as North Korea Missile program had represent a legit valid threat toward South Korean.

 

[xunzi]

It's South Korean matter and their own choices, some countries had to starting to respect their decisions. And Anti-Missile Defense System in SK is not without cause as North Korea Missile program had represent a legit valid threat toward South Korean.

Wrong. North Korea capabilities are at best scud missiles, and their range of damage is mostly short range. Even if their capabilities increase to long-range, there is no reason to believe they can maneuver their missiles to avoid interception. THAAD is to target China/Russia. Our American friends wouldn't be happy if China/Russia deploy missile defense near their border. For us to respect, others have to respect our security concern.

 

[F-22Raptor]

South Korea and the United States said on Friday they will deploy an advanced missile defense system with U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threat, drawing sharp and swift protest from neighboring China.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be used only to counter the threat from the North, the South's Defence Ministry and the U.S. Defence Department said in a joint statement.

The selection of the location for the system could come "within weeks" and the allies were working to have it operational by the end of 2017, a South Korean defense ministry official said.

"South Korea and the United States made an alliance decision to deploy THAAD to USFK as a defensive measure to ensure the security of the South and its people, and to protect alliance military forces from North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile threats," the joint statement said.

USFK stands for U.S. Forces Korea, which includes 28,500 U.S. troops based in South Korea.

"When the THAAD system is deployed to the Korean Peninsula, it will be focused solely on North Korean nuclear and missile threats and would not be directed towards any third party nations," the statement said.

The decision to deploy the system is the latest move to squeeze the increasingly isolated North, which also involves a series of bilateral sanctions by Seoul and Washington as well as layers of U.N. sanctions.

China, which backed the latest U.N. sanctions against the North in March, objects to the proposed THAAD deployment in the South, as the system's radar can reach into its territory.

China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday the system would destabilize the security balance in the region without achieving anything to end the North's nuclear program.

"China strongly urges the United States and South Korea to stop the deployment process of the THAAD anti-missile system, not take any steps to complicate the regional situation and do nothing to harm China's strategic security interests," it said in a statement on its website.

A joint South Korea-U.S. working group is determining the best location for deploying THAAD, which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

The group has been discussing the feasibility of the deployment and potential locations for the THAAD unit since February, after a North Korean rocket launch put an object into space orbit.

The launch was condemned by the U.N. Security Council as a test of a long-range missile in disguise, which the North is prohibited from doing under several Security Council resolutions.

North Korea rejects the ban, saying it is an infringement on its sovereignty and its right to space exploration.

North Korea in late June launched an intermediate range ballistic missile off its east coast in what was believed to be a test that showed some advancement in the weapon's engine system.

On Thursday, the North said it was planning its toughest response to what it called a "declaration of war" by the United States after the U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted the North's leader Kim Jong Un for human rights abuses.

Also on Thursday, a U.S. official said the administration of President Barack Obama is asking other nations to cut the employment of North Korean workers as a way to reduce Pyongyang’s access to foreign currency.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-thaad-idUSKCN0ZO084

 

[AMDR]

 

[Devil Soul]

US and South Korea agree THAAD missile defence deployment

• 1 hour ago
  
• From the sectionAsia

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionThe Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be deployed solely to counter the threat from Pyongyang
The US and South Korea have agreed to deploy a controversial missile defence system, in the wake of intensifying threats from North Korea.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be deployed solely to counter the threat from Pyongyang, a statement said.

It is unclear exactly where it will be sited and who will have final control.

China, which has consistently opposed the plan, lodged a protest with the US and South Korean envoys.

China's foreign ministry said that the THAAD system will harm peace and stability in the region, despite its ability to detect and shoot down North Korean missiles.

"China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute objection to this", it said in a statement on its website.

What is the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD)?

• Shoots down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight
• Uses hit-to-kill technology - where kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead
• Has a range of 200km and can reach an altitude of 150km
• US has previously deployed it in Guam and Hawaii as a measure against potential attacks from North Korea

1. The enemy launches a missile

2. The Thaad radar system detects the launch, which is relayed to command and control

3. Thaad command and control instructs the launch of an interceptor missile

4. The interceptor missile is fired at the enemy projectile

5. The enemy projectile is destroyed in the terminal phase of flight

The launcher trucks can hold up to eight interceptor missiles.

The BBC's Korea Correspondent Stephen Evans says that Beijing fears the system's radars would be able to see far into its territory. China, the North's closest ally, supported the most recent UN sanctions after North Korean nuclear and missile tests.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionNorth Korea is already under an extensive sanctions regime for its nuclear activities
Discussions between the two countries began in February after North Korea fired a long-range missile.

"South Korea and the US have made the joint decision to deploy the THAAD system as part of a defensive action to guarantee the security of the Republic of Korea," South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Friday.

It will be deployed "as soon as possible."

THAAD is "critical" to the US' defensive strategy, Lt. Gen Thomas S. Vandal of the US Eighth Army in South Korea told AP. He added that the North's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction required that the allies made sure that they could defend themselves.

The announcement comes after North Korea denounced US sanctions on Kim Jong-un, calling it an "open declaration of war", after the leader was accused of human rights abuses.

The US had put sanctions onto the leader for the first time, calling him directly responsible for violations in his country.

Pyongyang has warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked, reported news agency Yonhap.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionPyongyang has warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked
The measures freeze any property the individuals have in the US and prevent US citizens doing business with them.

"Under Kim Jong-un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people, including extrajudicial killings, forced labour, and torture," the Treasury statement said.

It estimates that between 80,000 and 120,000 prisoners are being held in North Korean prison camps where torture, sexual assault and executions are routine.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36742751

 

[Mangus Ortus Novem]

US and South Korea agree THAAD missile defence deployment

• 1 hour ago
  
• From the sectionAsia

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionThe Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be deployed solely to counter the threat from Pyongyang
The US and South Korea have agreed to deploy a controversial missile defence system, in the wake of intensifying threats from North Korea.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be deployed solely to counter the threat from Pyongyang, a statement said.

It is unclear exactly where it will be sited and who will have final control.

China, which has consistently opposed the plan, lodged a protest with the US and South Korean envoys.

China's foreign ministry said that the THAAD system will harm peace and stability in the region, despite its ability to detect and shoot down North Korean missiles.

"China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute objection to this", it said in a statement on its website.

What is the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD)?

• Shoots down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight
• Uses hit-to-kill technology - where kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead
• Has a range of 200km and can reach an altitude of 150km
• US has previously deployed it in Guam and Hawaii as a measure against potential attacks from North Korea

1. The enemy launches a missile

2. The Thaad radar system detects the launch, which is relayed to command and control

3. Thaad command and control instructs the launch of an interceptor missile

4. The interceptor missile is fired at the enemy projectile

5. The enemy projectile is destroyed in the terminal phase of flight

The launcher trucks can hold up to eight interceptor missiles.

The BBC's Korea Correspondent Stephen Evans says that Beijing fears the system's radars would be able to see far into its territory. China, the North's closest ally, supported the most recent UN sanctions after North Korean nuclear and missile tests.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionNorth Korea is already under an extensive sanctions regime for its nuclear activities
Discussions between the two countries began in February after North Korea fired a long-range missile.

"South Korea and the US have made the joint decision to deploy the THAAD system as part of a defensive action to guarantee the security of the Republic of Korea," South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Friday.

It will be deployed "as soon as possible."

THAAD is "critical" to the US' defensive strategy, Lt. Gen Thomas S. Vandal of the US Eighth Army in South Korea told AP. He added that the North's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction required that the allies made sure that they could defend themselves.

The announcement comes after North Korea denounced US sanctions on Kim Jong-un, calling it an "open declaration of war", after the leader was accused of human rights abuses.

The US had put sanctions onto the leader for the first time, calling him directly responsible for violations in his country.

Pyongyang has warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked, reported news agency Yonhap.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionPyongyang has warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked
The measures freeze any property the individuals have in the US and prevent US citizens doing business with them.

"Under Kim Jong-un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people, including extrajudicial killings, forced labour, and torture," the Treasury statement said.

It estimates that between 80,000 and 120,000 prisoners are being held in North Korean prison camps where torture, sexual assault and executions are routine.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36742751

This is way huge development than F-22 in Japan. The system can look deep into China and Russia. US has upped the game. Hopefully, NK issue can be settled peacefully. Young Kim is only trouble for everyone.

 

[jha]

A certain country will not like this one bit. THAAD is quite capable system with very powerful Radar which can monitor deep inside neighbor's territory.