Deployment of THAAD: News & Discussions

[TaiShang]

SK lawmakers visit Beijing to defuse tension over THAAD
(Global Times) January 05, 2017

A delegation of lawmakers from South Korea's biggest opposition party arrived in Beijing on Wednesday amid tension over bilateral relations resulting from a planned anti-missile system that China sees as a threat.

The seven lawmakers, all from the Minjoo Party, also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on the first day of their three-day trip.

Wang said during his meeting with the delegation that China-South Korea relations should be cherished, news site guancha.cn reported.

The trip is aimed at mending ties with China which have cooled since President Park Geun-hye's administration reached an agreement with the US in 2016 to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system on the peninsula, the Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. Though South Korea and the US maintain that THAAD is for military defense against North Korean threats, it would also undermine China's and Russia's military deterrence.

China will listen to these lawmakers, but the key to fixing bilateral relations must come from the South Korean side, Chinese experts said.

On the first day of the visit, Yonhap reported that "lawmakers, including former Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil, are set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attend a dinner hosted by his ministry."

According to a report by Russia-based Sputnik news organization on Monday, the delegates said Minjoo leader, Moon Jae-in, who is also in the running for the next presidential election, would be in the delegation to Beijing. However, Moon did not show up with the delegation.

"As the party leader and a potential presidential candidate, Moon is not likely to visit any country before the election, because this will make him look like a puppet," Wang Junsheng, a researcher on East Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Wang will meet with the lawmakers on Thursday in Beijing.

However, the Minjoo lawmakers have faced strong criticism from conservatives in South Korea, including the ruling Saenuri Party and offshoot New Conservative Party for Reform which condemned the visit, calling the move a form of "kowtowing," Yonhap reported.

"Although Moon is not in the delegation, these delegates also represent a positive power in South Korea and they can deliver the message effectively, that's why they can meet with the foreign minister," Wang said.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, delegate Song Young-gil said "We will tell Beijing that our presidential candidates including Moon are calling for the THAAD issue to be reconsidered in the next government."

Separate issues

The delegation complained about China's "restrictions" on trade, travel and cultural exchanges with South Korea and said they were visiting Beijing to convince China to separate the THAAD dispute from bilateral cooperation.

China has never acknowledged the existence of such restrictions. Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on November 21 that "I have never heard of any restriction on South Korea." "The Chinese side's steadfast opposition to the deployment of THAAD by the US in South Korea is well known to all. The Chinese public has voiced their dissatisfaction as well. Relevant parties must have taken note of that," Geng added.

Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Institute of China's Borderland History and Geography Studies of the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that "the feeling of 'restriction' that South Korea has is real but it is not government-led; it's Chinese people's spontaneous behavior."

"So South Korea cannot expect us to cancel the restrictions which have never existed," Lü said "but we have also pointed out the way-out to fix the problem, that is the cancelation of THAAD."

Wang noted that as Minjoo is not the ruling party of South Korea, China will not expect them to promise anything, and the main task of the trip is to deepen mutual understanding and communication because the Minjoo may win the presidential election with Moon becoming president.

"The ruling Saenuri Party is very obstinate on THAAD, and it's possible it might try to push the deployment to bring THAAD to South Korea before the presidential election," Wang said.

***

@grey boy 2 , @rcrmj , @samsara , @Jlaw , @ahojunk

South Korea might be eventually coming to senses. Let's cross fingers and hope that the opposition DP will assume power in next elections.

 

[grey boy 2]

Looks like @ahojunk signature "Money talk, Bullshit Walk" speak for itself once again
Finally the Koreans realized the logic of BOW to the "MONEY" is the right way to go

 

[samsara]

South Korea, an amazing nation whereas some individuals are able to HIJACK the whole nation's interests and even put that country into the high risk of being the legitimate target of its two largest neighbors at time of dire crisis.

A tale of two women: Choi Soon-sil and Park Geun-hye... will these two bosom buddies seal the looming fate of this nation?

Read on "Lawmaker claims Choi was behind Thaad deal"

“To my knowledge, Choi met with the Lockheed Martin chairperson in June,” said An, a four-term lawmaker of the Minjoo Party of Korea and co-chair of his party’s special committee to investigate alleged manipulation of the Park Geun-hye administration’s affairs, on a radio interview with TBS.

Choi has already been accused of being behind arms deals, including the purchase of F-35A stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin. She is said to have a close friendship with arms lobbyist Linda Kim.

He also pointed out that, compared to the period between 2010 and 2015, 2015 to 2021 will see a marked increase in contracts with Lockheed. He said the number of deals struck with Lockheed until 2021 was increased 15 times over.

 

[rcrmj]

it will all come down to who weights more to S.Korea's national interests, politically, S.K is still lean towards the U.S, and it also has huge economical interests there. So I don't think this issue will be sorted out to China's favor easily````17 is another tough year to us!

 

[TaiShang]

Choi has already been accused of being behind arms deals, including the purchase of F-35A stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin. She is said to have a close friendship with arms lobbyist Linda Kim.

He also pointed out that, compared to the period between 2010 and 2015, 2015 to 2021 will see a marked increase in contracts with Lockheed. He said the number of deals struck with Lockheed until 2021 was increased 15 times over.

It would not be the first time that US multinational were involved in international corruption. It is almost amazing that this time they got caught red-handed and probably what we are reading now is just the tip of the iceberg.

If SK eventually drifts away from the US chokehold, Japan would be further left alone and pushed more aggressively toward Russia or China.

 

[Place Of Space]

South Korea, an amazing nation whereas some individuals are able to HIJACK the whole nation's interests and even put that country into the high risk of being the legitimate target of its two largest neighbors at time of dire crisis.

A tale of two women: Choi Soon-sil and Park Geun-hye... will these two bosom buddies seal the looming fate of this nation?

Read on "Lawmaker claims Choi was behind Thaad deal"

“To my knowledge, Choi met with the Lockheed Martin chairperson in June,” said An, a four-term lawmaker of the Minjoo Party of Korea and co-chair of his party’s special committee to investigate alleged manipulation of the Park Geun-hye administration’s affairs, on a radio interview with TBS.

Choi has already been accused of being behind arms deals, including the purchase of F-35A stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin. She is said to have a close friendship with arms lobbyist Linda Kim.

He also pointed out that, compared to the period between 2010 and 2015, 2015 to 2021 will see a marked increase in contracts with Lockheed. He said the number of deals struck with Lockheed until 2021 was increased 15 times over.

Why we still talk about this woman? She already over. worthless of paying attentions, her own people even abandon her.
Let's see soon what South Korea president candidates will talk about this issue and the new president will do.

 

[yantong1980]

SK need stay away from US influences, they will lesser facing any 'Kim provocation' from NK. SK will have more eased any attention with their NK brother easily, they have more 'quality' time to bridging any differentiation between two brother country even hope for reunification still fragile. The problem is there some figures in SK that want stick to US.

 

[Jlaw]

SK lawmakers visit Beijing to defuse tension over THAAD
(Global Times) January 05, 2017

A delegation of lawmakers from South Korea's biggest opposition party arrived in Beijing on Wednesday amid tension over bilateral relations resulting from a planned anti-missile system that China sees as a threat.

The seven lawmakers, all from the Minjoo Party, also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on the first day of their three-day trip.

Wang said during his meeting with the delegation that China-South Korea relations should be cherished, news site guancha.cn reported.

The trip is aimed at mending ties with China which have cooled since President Park Geun-hye's administration reached an agreement with the US in 2016 to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system on the peninsula, the Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. Though South Korea and the US maintain that THAAD is for military defense against North Korean threats, it would also undermine China's and Russia's military deterrence.

China will listen to these lawmakers, but the key to fixing bilateral relations must come from the South Korean side, Chinese experts said.

On the first day of the visit, Yonhap reported that "lawmakers, including former Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil, are set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attend a dinner hosted by his ministry."

According to a report by Russia-based Sputnik news organization on Monday, the delegates said Minjoo leader, Moon Jae-in, who is also in the running for the next presidential election, would be in the delegation to Beijing. However, Moon did not show up with the delegation.

"As the party leader and a potential presidential candidate, Moon is not likely to visit any country before the election, because this will make him look like a puppet," Wang Junsheng, a researcher on East Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Wang will meet with the lawmakers on Thursday in Beijing.

However, the Minjoo lawmakers have faced strong criticism from conservatives in South Korea, including the ruling Saenuri Party and offshoot New Conservative Party for Reform which condemned the visit, calling the move a form of "kowtowing," Yonhap reported.

"Although Moon is not in the delegation, these delegates also represent a positive power in South Korea and they can deliver the message effectively, that's why they can meet with the foreign minister," Wang said.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, delegate Song Young-gil said "We will tell Beijing that our presidential candidates including Moon are calling for the THAAD issue to be reconsidered in the next government."

Separate issues

The delegation complained about China's "restrictions" on trade, travel and cultural exchanges with South Korea and said they were visiting Beijing to convince China to separate the THAAD dispute from bilateral cooperation.

China has never acknowledged the existence of such restrictions. Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on November 21 that "I have never heard of any restriction on South Korea." "The Chinese side's steadfast opposition to the deployment of THAAD by the US in South Korea is well known to all. The Chinese public has voiced their dissatisfaction as well. Relevant parties must have taken note of that," Geng added.

Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Institute of China's Borderland History and Geography Studies of the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that "the feeling of 'restriction' that South Korea has is real but it is not government-led; it's Chinese people's spontaneous behavior."

"So South Korea cannot expect us to cancel the restrictions which have never existed," Lü said "but we have also pointed out the way-out to fix the problem, that is the cancelation of THAAD."

Wang noted that as Minjoo is not the ruling party of South Korea, China will not expect them to promise anything, and the main task of the trip is to deepen mutual understanding and communication because the Minjoo may win the presidential election with Moon becoming president.

"The ruling Saenuri Party is very obstinate on THAAD, and it's possible it might try to push the deployment to bring THAAD to South Korea before the presidential election," Wang said.

***

@grey boy 2 , @rcrmj , @samsara , @Jlaw , @ahojunk

South Korea might be eventually coming to senses. Let's cross fingers and hope that the opposition DP will assume power in next elections.

no matter what these delegates say, as long as THAAD is in SK, China reserve the right to annihilate SK with nukes in a war

it will all come down to who weights more to S.Korea's national interests, politically, S.K is still lean towards the U.S, and it also has huge economical interests there. So I don't think this issue will be sorted out to China's favor easily````17 is another tough year to us!

Chinese leaders need to talk tougher. they cannot give hints because the other people are not too bright. no THAAD or else we will **** you over. that's a statement everyone understand

 

[Pangu]

Sick of Koreans & their endless dramas, the alleged 禁韩令 gets a big thumbs up from me. More is better.

 

[rcrmj]

no matter what these delegates say, as long as THAAD is in SK, China reserve the right to annihilate SK with nukes in a war


Chinese leaders need to talk tougher. they cannot give hints because the other people are not too bright. no THAAD or else we will **** you over. that's a statement everyone understand

any talk must have weights behind it, tougher doesnt make it clearer. it needs to be backed up by economical, military, political and cultural might. talking loud without power is no brainer

 

[terranMarine]

Interesting read, now we know that woman involved in the scandal has or had strong ties with Lockheed Martin. If South Korea's new government insist on the deployment of THAAD well China can only keep screwing SK by playing the economic card but we have another one and that is DPRK , imagine what China could do in order to help our neighbor with some military toys

 

[oprih]

They need to junk thaad if they want to mend ties with China.

 

[TaiShang]

Sick of Koreans & their endless dramas, the alleged 禁韩令 gets a big thumbs up from me. More is better.

I agree that there must be certain soft sanctions to deter Korea from getting further under the US militarist chokehold. They cannot simply disturb regional balance; they need to remember, whoever disturbed the balance of power in the Korean Peninsula, they were punished.

South Korea needs to economize regional framework. For this, they need to get rid of the current conservative, right wing, pro-US militarist government.

 

[Pangu]

I agree that there must be certain soft sanctions to deter Korea from getting further under the US militarist chokehold. They cannot simply disturb regional balance; they need to remember, whoever disturbed the balance of power in the Korean Peninsula, they were punished.

South Korea needs to economize regional framework. For this, they need to get rid of the current conservative, right wing, pro-US militarist government.

Yep. They can't just enjoy economic benefits from us & back-stab us at the same time. Screw them!

 

[TaiShang]

South Korea inviting trouble with THAAD

Source: Global Times Published: 2017/1/7

Senior South Korean diplomats met with Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong on Thursday morning to express the attitude of their government over China's demand of abolishing the plan to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea.

South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson told a press conference that it's a sovereign act of self-defense for South Korea to deploy THAAD, and that the country would uphold the principle of maintaining national security.

It seems that South Korea is determined to deploy the missile system and become a foot soldier in the US global strategy. However, its stubbornness on this issue will only bring unaffordable consequences to the country.

The nuclear crisis of North Korea is essentially not a problem between China and South Korea, but one resulting from the US' Cold War strategies and reflecting the US intent to contain China and Russia.

South Korea fears about becoming a target of North Korean nuclear weapons, but it should also be concerned about being tied to the American war machine and losing its independent position.

The South Korean government has seriously underestimated China's public opinion against THAAD. Department stores in Seoul may be popular among Chinese tourists, however, these tourists haven't forgotten their identity. Chinese people have a clear mind about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and will not sacrifice national interest for Korean cosmetics if Seoul chooses to side with the US.

Chinese people will not forget the war on the peninsula of more than six decades ago and the sacrifice made by Chinese soldiers for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean government calls the deployment of THAAD an exercise of "sovereignty," which is pure rhetoric. THAAD is a product of the US military, and the cost of deployment in South Korea will be covered by the US. South Korea won't have any control over the system during war, so where is the sovereignty?

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with seven Korean lawmakers from an opposition party over THAAD, and they have since been criticized back in their country as "serving big power" and "selling out national interest."

If South Korea continues in this direction, in the end it will understand that its decision to sell out national interest and serve a big power amounts to accepting US direction and damaging the interest of a friendly, close neighbor.

South Korea should stop speculation and not expect China to swallow the bitter fruit of THAAD. If South Korea insists on becoming a US' puppet, China will have to act against it.