South Korea's Defence Ministry "intentionally" dropped mention of additional THAAD units in report

Record ID: 877472

  • Title: South Korea's Defence Ministry "intentionally" dropped mention of additional THAAD units in report
  • Date: 31st May 2017
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE
  • Embargoed: 14th June 2017 04:52
  • Keywords: Presidential office Defence Ministry THAAD anti-missile system U.S.
  • Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0046J64PJ9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO 2099-NORTH KOREA-MISSILES/SOUTH-THAAD SENT ON MAY 30 FOR FILE MATERIAL
    South Korea's Defence Ministry "intentionally" dropped mention of the deployment of four more launchers for the controversial U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in its report to President Moon Jae-in's top aides, the South Korean presidential office said on Wednesday (May 31).
    Moon has ordered a probe at the defence ministry, saying he was "shocked" at the intentional omission by the Defence Ministry in its report last week, when the new government is preparing for its first summit with the United States this month, presidential Blue House spokesman Yoon Young-chan said.
    The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system battery was initially deployed in March in the southeastern region of Seongju with just two of its maximum load of six launchers to counter a growing North Korean missile threat. An earlier version of the defence ministry report specified the total number of launchers being prepared for deployment and the name of the U.S. military base where the four were being kept, but the reference was removed in the final version delivered to the Blue House, Yoon said.
    The Pentagon said it had been "very transparent" with South Korea's government about the THAAD deployment. During his successful campaign for the May 9 presidential election, Moon called for a parliamentary review of the system, the deployment of which has infuriated China, North Korea's lone major ally.
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