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English
South Korea We can deter North threats if US weapons shifted to Mideast
South Korea We can deter North threats if US weapons shifted to Mideast
Seoul, South Korea, states that even if the United States relocates some of its military assets to the Middle East due to the war in Iran, they can still deter threats from North Korea. This is significant because Washington stations about 28,500 troops and a range of air and missile defense systems in South Korea to help deter aggression from the nuclear-armed North. The US is moving parts of its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East, according to The Washington Post, citing unnamed officials. The government is opposing the USFK's withdrawal of some air defense weapons for its own military needs, according to President Lee Jae Myung, who acknowledged that there was little they could do about it. However, the South Korean Defense Ministry says there is no issue with their deterrence posture against North Korea, given their military capabilities. The THAAD missile defense system is designed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles using hit-to-kill technology. It was installed in South Korea in 2017, which sparked strong protests from China.
