Allies may discuss THAAD in April

Seoul and Washington are expected to discuss the U.S.’ possible deployment of an advanced missile defense asset to the peninsula at their regular high-level defense talks in Washington, slated for mid-April, a government source said Wednesday.

The allies will hold the two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue next month to discuss bilateral security issues, possibly including the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system.

“At the KIDD meeting, Seoul and Washington will discuss all pending security issues,” the source told media, declining to be identified.

At the meeting, Seoul’s Deputy Defense Minister Yoo Jeh-seung and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia David Helvey will represent each side.

Launched in 2011, the KIDD is a comprehensive defense meeting between the allies that integrates the three existing bilateral consultative meetings ― the Security Policy Initiative, Extended Deterrence Policy Committee and Strategic Alliance 2015 Working Group.

The allies have so far maintained that there have not been any bilateral consultations over THAAD, even though the U.S. carried out a site survey in Korea last year to find suitable locations for the missile defense asset, which China argues could threaten its security.

Seoul has been under pressure to make a clear decision over whether to allow the U.S. Forces Korea to run THAAD as senior Beijing officials have repeatedly expressed opposition to its deployment. Under the mutual defense treaty, the U.S. must consult with Korea over a plan to install new military equipment on its territory.

On Tuesday, Seoul’s Defense Ministry displayed discomfort over Beijing increasing pressure on Seoul to oppose the deployment of THAAD, saying a neighboring country “should not attempt to exert influence over Seoul’s security policies.”

Before the KIDD meeting, the allies’ military leaders are expected to touch on the THAAD issue. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey will visit Seoul later this month. He will hold talks with South Korean JCS Chairman Adm. Choi Yun-hee over bilateral issues that observers say may include the THAAD.

The THAAD is a core element of the U.S.’ multilayered missile defense program. It is designed to intercept short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles at altitudes of 40 to 150 km during the terminal phase of flight after detecting the missiles with land-based radar that has a maximum range of about 1,800 km.

The U.S. THAAD program currently consists of seven THAAD batteries. Lockheed Martin, the U.S. defense giant and contractor for the THAAD program, has so far delivered four THAAD batteries to the U.S. government. It is to deliver the remainder according to the U.S. government’s schedule.

Three of the four delivered batteries have been deployed on the U.S. mainland, while the other has been installed in Guam.

A THAAD battery consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors (eight per launcher), a fire control and communications unit and an AN/TPY-2 radar.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)