WASHINGTON: The United States has not withdrawn a key missile defence system from South Korea, a senior US military official said, addressing reports that components were being shifted to the Middle East.
Last month, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed sources, that parts of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system were being redeployed from South Korea amid Washington’s ongoing conflict with Iran.
The report raised concerns in Seoul, where THAAD is considered central to defence against North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
However, General Xavier Brunson, commander of US forces in South Korea, told a Senate committee that no such move had taken place.
“THAAD still remains on the peninsula currently,” Brunson said, adding that while munitions were being prepared for deployment to the Middle East, the missile defence system itself had not been relocated.
THAAD
When asked about its future presence, Brunson said: “We do.”
THAAD is designed to intercept short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles using advanced hit-to-kill technology.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had earlier expressed concern over reports of a potential redeployment, though he acknowledged limited influence over US military decisions.
Meanwhile, Seoul’s defence ministry maintained that the country retains the capability to counter threats from North Korea, even if some US assets were repositioned.
The United States maintains around 28,500 troops in South Korea, with the THAAD system deployed there since 2017 — a move that had drawn strong opposition from China, which views it as a security threat.
The clarification comes amid rising regional tensions, with North Korea continuing missile tests and expanding its nuclear capabilities.
