4 US ‘THAAD’ deployed in South Korea without being reported; South Korean President orders probe

Seoul : The dispute over the deployment of the missile defense system ‘THAAD’ by the US in South Korea, took a new twist. The US declared to have deployed ‘THAAD’ to protect South Korea from the missiles of North Korea. China and Russia had expressed their discontent by stating that the ‘THAAD’ deployment is against them. Now the government of South Korea also has criticised the deployment of ‘THAAD’. It has been disclosed that 4 unaccounted ‘THAAD’ have already been deployed in South Korea prior to this. Allegations have started that South Korean Defense Ministry, the military and the national defense advisors have not informed President Moon Jae-In.

South Korea’s newly elected President Moon Jae-In has demanded an explanation from the nation’s Defense Ministry and the military regarding the secret deployment of ‘THAAD’. ‘The South Korean Defense Ministry hid information about the deployment of four ‘THAAD’ systems from the South Korean government and the citizens. No intimation about the deployment of ‘THAAD’ was given’, criticised South Korean President’s Spokesman, Yoon Young-Chan.

As per the information given by Chan, ‘Moon Jae-In’ took over the reins of South Korea a week back. ‘In’, during his Presidential election campaign, had announced to carry out a detailed probe into the deployment of the US ‘THAAD’ in the nation provided, if elected to power in South Korea. Also, during his campaign. ‘In’ had opposed the deployment of ‘THAAD’. Against this background, ‘In’, after being elected as President, immediately looked into the documents related to ‘THAAD’, informed Chan.

The documents contained the information related to the ‘THAAD’ commissioned in South Korea some weeks back. It also contained the information related to the on-going moves for deploying second ‘THAAD” system. Apart from this, it also contained information about other 4 ‘THAAD’ systems having been deployed earlier. However this information was deleted from the main documents. The Defense Advisor to the President ‘In’ also provided information regarding the deployment of only one ‘THAAD’. Hence Chan alleged that the Defense Ministry, the Military and the Defense Advisor hid the information of the deployment of these 4 ‘THAAD’s from President ‘In’ and the citizens of South Korea.

The information and photographs related to the US ‘THAAD’ which entered South Korea some months back, were disclosed to the media. Moreover, the South Korean Defense Ministry had provided information about the deployment of the said system at ‘Gyeongju’. However, President ‘In’ has claimed that the other 4 anti-missile systems were secretly unloaded and commissioned in South Korea. The Defense Ministry of South Korea and the Military did not disclose the information related to this, alleged President ‘In’. The President also questioned as to how the ‘THAAD’ was deployed without taking the South Korean Government into confidence, said Chan.

A South Korean News channel, on April 4, had published the information of 4 ‘THAAD’ systems having entered South Korea. However, it is claimed that this news was not given much importance. Moreover, South Korea’s new President ‘In’, has started efforts to improve the co-operation with China. It is said that against this background, President ‘In’ has initiated actions against the deployment of ‘THAAD’ in South Korea.

Meanwhile, the US has not reacted on these allegations by the South Korean President. The senior officials of South Korean Military as well, are avoiding to comment over the allegations by President ‘In’.