Rival parties expressed strong disagreement Wednesday over whether the government made the right move in asserting its control over deciding whether to deploy a U.S. anti-missile defense system in South Korea.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s defense ministry warned neighboring nations against trying to influence Seoul’s security policy, saying it “will make a decision based upon our own judgment after putting security interests before anything else.”
The remarks were widely seen as a response to China’s growing concerns over the possible deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea.
Seoul maintains that the issue has never come up for consideration, but Washington has previously hinted it would deploy a THAAD battery in South Korea, which is home to about 28,500 American troops.
U.S. officials say the THAAD, if deployed in South Korea, would better cope with North Korea’s growing missile and nuclear threats, but China is strongly opposed to the plan, seeing it as a direct threat to its national security.
Rep. Yoo Seong-min, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, welcomed the government’s stance.
“The government made clear yesterday that the root cause of this issue lies in North Korea’s nuclear and missile (programs) and that (it must) get rid of this threat in order to protect the lives of the people,” he said during a party meeting. “The government did a good job in stating, albeit belatedly, that China and other neighboring countries should not try to influence our security.”
The ruling party has been in close consultations with the government and the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae over the issue and plans to back up the government if it makes the right decision based on national security considerations, he added.
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, however, denounced the government’s move as “very inappropriate,” saying it could lead to diplomatic friction and tensions between Seoul and Beijing.
“The incompetence of Cheong Wa Dae, and especially the National Security Council, is inviting diplomatic trouble,” Kim Yung-rok, NPAD’s senior spokesman, said during a press briefing at the National Assembly. “We express serious concern over whether Cheong Wa Dae has proper control over government ministries on key national issues.” (Yonhap)
