April 07, 2015
Solving the THAAD Puzzle in Korea
South Korea has been an ally of the Unites States for over 60 years. Over the decades, there have been numerous defense issues between the two allies. The latest issue hanging over the U.S.-South Korea alliance is the deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense), which catches Seoul between conflicting pressures from Washington and Beijing.
Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea General Curtis Scaparrotti, the highest U.S. military official in the country, recommended Seoul deploy THAAD to protect itself from the threat of North Korean missiles. But during a meeting between Chinese Defense Chief Chang Wanquan and South Korean Minister of National Defense Han Min-Koo, China publicly expressed its concerns over America’s proposal to deploy the air defense system. Mindful of Chinese concerns, Seoul’s official stance is the “three nos,” meaning no decision has been made; there was no consultation with the United States, and no request from Washington.
Americans want Koreans to say yes to THAAD; the Chinese want Koreans to say no. Meanwhile, Seoul is hesitant to provide an official stance. Amid the THAAD debate, there are three questions to be answered; why Beijing is concerned, why Seoul is staying quiet, and what the three stakeholder countries should do.
Read the full op-ed at The Diplomat
More from CNAS
-
The Trump-Kim Summit and Beyond: What Positive Outcomes Look Like
Commentary
On February 27, United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet for a second time in Hanoi in a bid to make concrete progress on their June ...
By Duyeon Kim
-
It's Time for the U.S.-South Korea Alliance to Evolve
Commentary
The alliance between the United States and South Korea has, for the past six decades, been a core pillar of the U.S.-led security architecture in Northeast Asia—but in recent ...
By Kristine Lee
-
Pyongyang Declaration: Bringing peace to the Koreas beyond symbolism
Commentary
Symbolism and atmospherics are often just as important as literal deliverables in Korean culture. This symbolic approach is not necessarily understandable to Western minds acc...
By Duyeon Kim
-
CNAS Commentary: Maximum Pressure AND Engagement after the SOTU
Commentary
President Donald Trump’s State of the Union pledge of "total American resolve" to denuclearize North Korea signals that we are now in a period of heightened danger in Northeas...
By Patrick M. Cronin
