North Korea’s continuous tests are challenging DP’s pro-Pyongyang policies
After North Korea tested a missile that can reach the U.S. territory of Guam for the first time since 2017 on Sunday, the top two South Korean presidential candidates showed completely different ways of responding to the threat posed by Pyongyang.
Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), wrote on his Facebook on Sunday that “further deployment of the Terminal Altitude Area Defense [THAAD]” U.S. antimissile system is needed.
This would be a partial reversal of the current Moon Jae-in administration’s policy called the “Three Nos.” This is the pact that the Moon administration reportedly agreed to with China in 2017. It means that there will be no additional THAAD deployment, no joining a broader U.S. missile defense system, and no Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance.
On Monday, Yoon’s election team held a press briefing announcing its specific plans to deploy more THAAD antimissile batteries in South Korea. During the press briefing, they announced that the “Yoon Seok-yeol administration will deploy additional THAAD antimissile systems to protect the lives of 20 million people who live near the Seoul metropolitan area and their private assets from North Korea’s missile threats.”
They argued that the current THAAD system deployed at a U.S. base in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang, is limited in defending the people living in the greater Seoul region since it is located in the south of the peninsula. THAAD missiles have an estimated range of 125 miles (200 kilometers) and many experts suggested that they would not be able to cover regions near Seoul and the border.
Kim Sung-han, director of Yoon’s foreign policy and national security election team, explained that Yoon plans on purchasing an additional THAAD missile system from the United States and have the South Korean military operate it instead of U.S. forces in Korea operating it, as it is right now. Kim said it would require 1.5 trillion won ($1.2 billion) for the deployment.
Kim Yong-hyun, a retired three-star general from the Army who is working for Yoon’s election team, explained to reporters that China would not have any justification in retaliating against South Korea for deploying an additional THAAD missile system. “In 2017, China said it is retaliating against the deployment of THAAD since it is deployed by the U.S. forces in Korea,” Kim said. “This means that China would not have any justification in retaliating if the deployment is done by South Korea for its self-defense purposes.”
On Sunday, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling leftist Democratic Party, wrote on his Facebook criticizing Yoon for saying that he will deploy an additional THAAD missile system. Lee started by quoting former U.S. Forces Korea Commander Vincent Brooks, “No need to deploy additional THAAD in Korea.”
In 2020, Vincent Brooks told Radio Free Asia that there is no need to deploy an additional THAAD missile system in South Korea. Brooks reportedly said that the THAAD system already deployed in South Korea could protect the country from missile threats from North Korea if it is operated together with other antimissile systems, such as the Patriot and Green Pine systems.
“It is irresponsible to say they will install an additional THAAD system that even the United States said is not necessary, while enduring China’s possible retaliation,” Lee said. “When war breaks out, it is young people who will die, and if the military tension is heightened, the already sluggish economy will worsen.”
Lee argued that Yoon, who opposes the immediate transfer of wartime operational control from the U.S. to South Korean militaries, is raising military tensions by talking about a preemptive strike. Lee argues that this is not something that a presidential candidate should do.
“It is more important to work on making and keeping the peace, although it can be very difficult than winning after millions are killed and hurt,” Lee said.
Rep. Park Jin, who was at the press briefing held by Yoon’s election team, criticized Lee’s attack against Yoon’s comment about further THAAD deployment. “The THAAD system is a defensive system used to protect us and intercept, and it is not an offensive system,” Park said. “If another party is raising military tensions after making an issue of our defense measures, one should respond resolutely, but saying that we should consider their thinking is just pathetic.”
Meanwhile, the upcoming presidential election set for March 9 is expected to be very close. According to major local pollster Realmeter on Monday, Yoon’s approval rating was 40.2 percent, down 1.8 percentage points from the previous week. Lee was at 38.5 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from the same period.
