THAAD : the fate of south korea
By Nicole Yang and Hailey Kim
Edited by Amy Shin
Design by Nicole Yang
Edited by Amy Shin
Design by Nicole Yang
As issues continue to rise about the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea, Korea has been struggling in a sensitive dilemma between the United States and China.
THAAD is a ballistic missile defense operated essentially by the U.S. Army designed to intercept short to intermediate range missiles. The U.S. wants to establish a THAAD missile inspector battery in South Korea, where American troops are positioned to defend threats from North Korea’s missile threats. On the other hand, China and Russia see the potential THAAD deployment as a threat to their security interests and have increased pressure on South Korea to reject the establishment. “Clearly South Korea is very reliant on the United States military, and so if the United States military asks South Korea to do something typically, I think they follow along with it” said Ms. Caldwell, the high school social studies teacher. South Korea has to consider the costs and benefits of using THAAD with a potential indigenous system and decide whether or not its military necessity outweighs the concerns of other territorial power, especially China who is against THAAD. China is concerned that THAAD could blunt at least some of their military capabilities. Although, South Korea has agreed to the U.S. in installing the THAAD battery not everyone is convinced that this program is as effective as advertised. About 120 public associations sent representatives to a news conference and declaimed out loud a statement. “The government should decline to deploy THAAD, which would destroy peace in Northeast Asia, including the Korean Peninsula and hurt relations between South Korea and China.” South Korean public associations referred to South Korea’s defiant stance toward China’s objections to the THAAD deployment in the Korean Peninsula. China’s concerns about the stationing of the U.S. designed Ballistic Missile Defense equipment in South Korea have led to new tensions and led to a collapse of South Korea and China’s economic projects. “South Korea is going to have to do some political diplomacy here. So if they can convince China that it is also in their best interest to have this shield prudential from North Korean attacks,” Ms. Caldwell stated. |
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