The U.S. Deployment of the THAAD System in South Korea Produces Negative Effects in Northeast Asia

By Reporter Zhao Zhuoyun and Chen Jing and others, Daily Telegraph

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The U.S. Deployment of the THAAD System in South Korea Produces Negative Effects in Northeast Asia

By Reporter Zhao Zhuoyun and Chen Jing and others, Daily Telegraph

deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea imposed by the United States is superficially and nominally to target at the DPRK’s nuclear and missile threats, but essentially to respond to the rising China and Russia, is further tied South Korea to the U.S. war chariot and is a dose of poison undermining the Northeast Asian environment for the mutual benefit, mutual trust and win-win cooperation as well as development and stability.

I. The U.S.-ROK Deployment of the THAAD System in South Korea has a negative effect

The ROK and U.S. military on July 8, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea issued a joint statement saying that due to the nuclear weapon and missile threat of the DPRK, South Korea and the United States have decided to deploy the THAAD system in USFK bases. China's Foreign Ministry immediately issued a statement to have expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.

Experts pointed out that countries such as China and Russia had repeatedly stressed firm opposition against this deployment in South Korea, because this measure could hardly achieve the defense against the DPRK's nuclear weapon and missile threat, but exacerbate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, undermine the strategic balance in the region, the security and stability of the Northeast Asian region is facing a serious threat.

The ROK defense policy office director at the joint statement press conference on July 8 said that the North Korean nuclear tests and recent medium-range missile launches constitute a serious threat to the security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region including South Korea, and that the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea is not targeted at any third country, only to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

Experts pointed out that the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, the United States acts with a hidden motive, i.e. superficially targeted at the DPRK, but actually directed against China and Russia.

U.S. Department of Defense as early as 2012 proposed to build the Asia-Pacific anti-missile system. In 2013, the United States began to pressurize South Korea to join the U.S. anti-missile system. In view of the strong opposition from the Chinese side, South Korea had wavering attitude on this matter.

The United States has always attempted to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea, but needs an excuse to do so. South Korea's attitude was ambiguous before, an important reason for the current profound change is that the Fourth North Korean nuclear test has given the United States a chance to put pressure on South Korea, South Korea also changed the past ambiguous attitude, Institute of China International Studies Executive Vice President Ruan Zongze said.

A Senior Researcher of the Korean Research Center of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences pointed out that the real purpose of the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea is to intercept Chinese and Russian ballistic missiles, because the THAAD system can reach a height of 50 km above the ground, is designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles. Even if North Korea launches an attack against South Korea with nuclear weapons, it is unlikely to use intercontinental ballistic missiles to deliver, so the THAAD system cannot guarantee the security of South Korea.

The U.S. deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, in fact, attempts to gain greater strategic advantage, and undermines the strategic balance. Firstly, this move will hurt the relationship between China and South Korea. China has constantly insisted that the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea will have a major strategic harm to China. The ROK's decision to deploy the THAAD system is bound to cause damages to relations between China and South Korea, China may take counter measures. Secondly, the move will also leave impacts on the Sino-U.S. relations. The United States deploys the THAAD system in South Korea, and is, in fact, to create a world-wide anti-missile system. All intelligence and data collected by the United States in South Korea is actually connected to the entire global anti-missile system, can help the United States to gain greater strategic advantage over China in the field of anti-missile. In this regard, the Chinese side cannot be indifferent. Thirdly, the move will make the Russian relationship with South Korea and the United States further deteriorated. An anti-missile system is deployed in South Korea, its surveillance can cover the Russian Far East, with which Russia is unlikely to tolerate. Now, the U.S. anti-missile system is not only deployed in Europe but also gradually deployed into the Northeast Asian region, the formation of the attack posture on Russia. So, Russia may also take counter measures. Finally, South Korea shifted its attitude in the deployment of the THAAD system to tie itself to the U.S. war chariot, benefiting none but at the expense of others. Firstly, this approach does not help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but will make a serious escalation of the confrontation. Secondly, South Korea's discourse on the Korean Peninsula issues in the future will be affected. South Korea tied himself to the U.S. chariot, became a piece in a big chess game, is not conducive to its own national interests. In fact the South Korean move makes its own position in the region greatly weakened rather than strengthened. In the long run, the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea does not meet its national strategic interests.

II. South Korea should Avoid being Used as a Proxy by the United States

The Seongju Action Committee for Repealing the Decision to Deploy THAAD announced July 29ththat it will sent letters to the U.S. Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, and ask the United States to cancel the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea. Since the decision for deployment of the THAAD system on July 8th, protests swept across the country and question of and opposition to the deployment continued.

The deployment of a missile defense system in South Korea is promoted by the South Korean government to be able to maintain security of South Korea, and to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, but why was there such a strong opposition? In the final analysis, this is because the THAAD system is a tool for the United States to achieve its global strategy, and it will not make South Korea safer, but will dump it into a more dangerous situation. Deploying the THAAD system will make South Korea a proxy for the United States to achieve its strategic interests.

The THAAD system has two main functions: one is monitoring, the core equipment of AN/TPY-2 X band radar can reach a distance of up to 2000 km, with very high resolution, can complete searching, detecting, tracking, target recognizing and other tasks; two is intercepting, it can intercept a missile at the height between 40 km in atmosphere up to 150 km above the atmosphere.

According to the South Korean Defense Ministry statement, the THAAD system to be deployed in South Korea is to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. But from the performance point of view, the performance of its monitoring range and intercepting range are far more than the needs of South Korea's defense. The discerning eye can see through the real goal the U.S. deployment is not for North Korea, but Russia and China instead.

The deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea can monitor deeper into the Chinese hinterland and the main areas of the Russian Far East. With deployment of the THAAD system inside South Korea, the United States can monitor the Chinese and the Russian military deployment and military activities, can also help to set up the U.S. anti -missile shield in Northeast Asia, to achieve goals of keeping an eye on strategic weapons development trends, and anti-containment capacity so as to tilt the regional and global strategic balance.

From the perspective of location, the United States and South Korea intend to deploy the THAAD system in southeastern Seongju County, the defense range does not cover the ROK capital region. This means that nearly half of the population and the political, economic and cultural center of South Korea are excluded from the THAAD system defense, but U.S. bases in places such as Osan, Kansan, Daeju and Pyeongtaek are under the protection of THAAD system. ROK media bluntly points out that the primary purpose of the THAAD system deployment is to protect the USFK.

Thus, the United States promotes the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, whose purpose is not to protect the Republic of Korea, but to protect the U.S. military and its own strategic interests. According to reports, the U.S. Department of Defense as early as 2012 proposed to build the Asia-Pacific anti-missile system, as part of building a global missile defense system against strategic rivals.

Director Andre Vinogradov, Institute of Political Science and Forecasting Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, pointed out that the United States is establishing a missile defense system, which is intended to strengthen its global hegemony. The United States had the Iranian threat as an excuse to deploy a missile defense system in Europe, and now has the threat of North Korea as a reason for deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, which is repeating the stock tricks.

The THAAD system to be deployed in South Korea does not only reduce South Korea to become a U.S. tool to monitor and constrain China and Russia, get involved in big powers competition whirlpool, but also makes it lose its own independent diplomatic position and the geopolitical leeway in Northeast Asia. Once the outbreak of war in Northeast Asia, South Korea will become the forefront of military conflict, the U.S. THAAD system on its territory will also become the primary target of attack.

After the U.S. and ROK announcement of the THAAD system deployment in South Korea, the DPRK has made it clear that it will take "physical measures" to respond. Deployment of the THAAD system will aggravate the Korean Peninsula arms race, stimulate the DPRK to get farther and farther on the road to develop nuclear and missile capabilities, and push the Korean Peninsula into a vicious circle of escalating military confrontation. The denuclearization efforts made by some parties concerned will also suffer a serious setback.

China and Russia are not a security threat to South Korea. As a neighbor, since the establishment of diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1992, China’s ROK policy has been pursuing friendly relations between the two countries, so the bilateral relations witness rapid development in the field of political, economic and cultural exchanges, has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. At the expense of Strategic interests of Russia and China, South Korea now acts as a "pawn" for the United States to achieve its global hegemony, which is bound to harm ROK relations with Russia and China, and is deeply disappointed and discontent. Therefore, it is hoped that South Korea thinks twice, neither misjudges the situation, nor becomes used by the United States to be harmed in the end.

III. Never allow the U.S. "anti-missile hegemony" harm Northeast Asia

South Korea will deploy the THAAD system, but the United States, thousands of miles away, is the initiator, a trader, and the biggest beneficiary. Once deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea is in place, the United States will use the U.S. anti-missile "hegemony" built by the anti-missile defense system to guide the evil current into Northeast Asia.

Since the Reagan administration proposed the "Star Wars" program in1983, the United States never stops its footsteps to seek "anti-missile hegemony". To develop anti-missile weapons, and implement the global deployment of the anti-missile system have become an important means for the United States to ensure the absolute military superiority and maintain global hegemony.

Facts have shown that the United States has unilaterally woven global anti-missile network, although under the defense banner, essentially attempted to sacrifice other country's security in exchange for its own national safety, seriously threatening regional and international strategic balance and stability with far-reaching harm.

The United States deliberately plans to promote the THAAD system in South Korean, not simply to help South Korea to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, but with selfish thinking and self-interests behind the back, that is to promote the Asia-Pacific anti-missile system building. The U.S. Department of Defense announced in March 2012 that it will build the Asia-Pacific anti-missile system, planning to rely on the U.S.-Japan–Australia alliance, and the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alliance to achieve it.

Associate professor Wu Riqiang, International Relations Institute of Renmin University, believes that the United States has a weak recognition ability in its Asia-Pacific anti-missile system. Roping in South Korea, the United States intends to deploy advanced radar in South Korea, which has significant bearing on the U.S. Asia-Pacific anti-missile system building. Wu Riqiang points out that the deployment of the THAAD system with X band radar in South Korea can in times of peace be used to monitor China’s strategic missile experiment tests, accumulate the data of characteristics of warheads and decoys; and in wartime achieve early detection and tracking of some China’s strategic missiles attacking the United States. All these are beneficial to improve the target recognition capability of anti-missile system, and to counteract China's nuclear deterrent to the United States.

It is worth noting that the THAAD system deployed in South Korea is an important step for the United States to build its Asia-Pacific anti-missile system, but not the end. In the future, the deployment of the THAAD system and other anti-missile weapons in Japan and others countries by the United States should not be ruled out. Japan's Defense Ministry had revealed to the media that it is considering introduction of the THAAD system, and build a three-tiered anti-missile system with the upgraded existing system, in order to respond to the so-called threat from North Korea.

Beijing Aerospace Research Institute researcher Wu Qin believes that after decades of development, the United States has built a global anti-missile system centered on the U.S. homeland and with two wings in Asia-Pacific and Europe, which has intercepting ability for short and medium-range missiles and is still in continuous improvement and development. And a ground-based midcourse defense system will get the first intercontinental missile interception test at the end of this year.

Comparing the U.S. anti-missile building at both ends of the Eurasian continents, the methods and strategies are almost exactly the same. Firstly, ironing out excuses and propagating threats. The United States under the "DPRK threat" has the Asia-Pacific anti-missile system being built, and has the European anti-missile system built with Iran as the target. Secondly, fishing in troubled waters. For example, using the alert sentiment of Romania, Poland and other Eastern European countries on Russia to rely on the so-called security protection provided by the anti-missile deployment. Thirdly, step by step implementation. Usually starting with peripheral countries, and then gradually moving forward to the centre.

As it is known, in the field of global security, equilibrium is often derived from the balance of power. Once the balance is broken, which will bring instability, even a friction and conflict. The U.S. unilaterally weaving global anti-missile network approach just tips the global strategic balance, seriously damages major countries strategic security interests including that of Russia and China, thus, being strongly opposed by China, Russia, and other countries.

In Europe, the U.S. imposed deployment of anti-missile system has shown the negative effect: having broken the European strategic balance, forced Russia to take a variety of counter measures. The anti-missile issue has been an important reason for the long-term discord and lack of mutual trust between Russia and the Western countries, exacerbated geopolitical tensions, and fueled the new Cold War atmosphere in Europe. In this process, the United States actually becomes the biggest beneficiary, can on the one hand use the security issues to continuously "control" Europe, and on the other hand, serve its strategy of curbing Russia with strength of some European countries. The Europe's lesson reflects a real intention for the United States to push deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, not simply to protect South Korea from the DPRK threat, but to help to maintain its global hegemony

IV. Deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea is a dangerous poison for Northeast Asian Security

A deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, like a dose of "poison", seriously endangers healthy development of the relations among Northeast Asian countries, buries seed for exacerbating regional tensions and confrontation, and pushes the regional peace and stability into a major crisis.

With deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, the United States has taken a key step to build an "Asian version of NATO," but also brought the Northeast Asian regional peace and stability under the shadow of the U.S. pursuit of hegemony.

International Relations Institute of Liaoning University associate professor Li Jiacheng pointed out that Japan has deployed the same type of X band radar, the THAAD system to be deployed in South Korea together with its deployment in Japan and Guam will form an anti-missile encirclement of China in the Pacific.

From the perspective of South Korea, the deployment of the THAAD system there will seriously damage the political mutual trust between South Korea and the surrounding countries, causing severe economic countermeasure, deteriorating the ROK security environment, and tearing down the ROK society. A poll released last week showed that affected by the decision to deploy the THAAD system, South Korean President Park Geun-hye's support rate fell to its lowest point since she took office, her support rate among young people around the age of 20 is below 10%. This shows from one side the ROK people have concerns and insecurity on introduction of the THAAD system into South Korea.

From the perspective of Korean Peninsula, to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea will further intensify the military confrontation between the two sides on the Korean Peninsula, stimulate DPRK's nuclear and missile development farther and farther down the road, and make the Peninsula more turbulent.

From the perspective of China, the ROK sudden announcement to deploy the THAAD system ignores the overall friendship and cooperation between China and South Korea, undermines political mutual trust and weakens the foundation for the strategic cooperation partnership between China and South Korea, the bilateral relationship is facing a major crisis.

From the perspective of Northeast Asia, deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea tilts the strategic balance that helps to maintain the long term peace and stability in the region, and forces China and Russia to take strategic counter measures, which may lead to a new round of arms race and confrontation, and even to formation of a new cold war pattern. The U.S. Asia-Pacific rebalancing consequences will sooner or later meet with South Korea, as it can be imagined.

Korean Peninsula Research Center of Fudan University Zheng Jiyong believes that the Northeast Asia forces after years of historical developments become complicated, having formed the current fragile balance of power, but such balance is broken, security outlook in the region will be very pessimistic. If a new cold war pattern is coming back in Northeast Asia, the Korean national peace and unification will be pushed back further.

Different with the cold war period, the Asian countries remain inextricably linked in the economic field, and they rise and fall together. Today, Northeast Asia is completely different with that during the cold war. Against the background of slow recovery of the global economy, how to adjust the economic strategy and change the mode of development is a common task facing Asian countries; how to expand and seek mutual benefits and win-win cooperation is the common interests of Asian countries.

The "cold war thinking" and "Asian version of NATO" advocating confrontation and seeking hegemony would be a dose of "poison" undermining peace in Asia, hindering Asian development and ruining prosperity in Asia, therefore has failed to gain widespread recognition of Asian countries. The long cold war made the Korean Peninsula pay a painful price, the wound has not healed yet. Therefore historical lessons should be learnt, attention be focused on the future, and peace and stability be cherished

V. The Introduction of the THAAD System into South Korea Seriously Undermines Sino-ROK Mutual Trust and Cooperation

The sudden announcement of deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea on July 8this a bad move in a “chess game”, because it seriously tilts the regional strategic balance.

This year is the 24th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries is facing sound momentum of deepening. However, South Korea has willfully and obstinately decided to introduce the THAAD system, and tightly bounded itself onto the wheel of the U.S. Asia-Pacific rebalancing, which will seriously undermine mutual trust and cooperation between China and South Korea, weakens the foundation for the strategic cooperation partnership between the two countries, and greatly harms Chinnese people's friendly feelings to South Korea .

The South Korean authorities first lost trust of its people. According to South Korean former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan disclosure that the South Korean government has not provided the most basic information on deploying the THAAD system to the people, and neither have these been through public discussion process. As the South Korean people strongly protest against the deployment, the South Korean authorities have accused them of splitting the domestic public opinion, and disclosed false information on candidate location to the national media, and takes people as a fool and show no care for them.

The South Korean authorities is in breach of faith with China. The coverage by the THAAD system, especially its X band radar monitoring range goes far beyond the Peninsula hinterland defense needs into the Asian continent, so the deployment of the THAAD system is not purely a technical matter, but a hundred-percent strategic matter. The real purpose of introducing the THAAD system into South Korea is clear-cut.

China has always opposed the deployment of the THAAD system in the Northeast Asian region, repeatedly stated its concerns on the issue, South Korean authorities knows this very well. According to South Korean media reports, in March this year, South Korea and the United States set up a joint working group to carry out feasibility study on the deployment of the THAAD system proper time, place and cost, but has carefully concealed mentioning them. On July 5th, when South Korean media disclosed the two sides had reached a consensus on the deployment time and place, South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesman also denied. But the two sides on July 8th suddenly announced the deployment of the THAAD system in an attempt to deceive public opinion, and in flagrant violation of commitment to consultation with China on the THAAD system matter.

The South Korean authorities made a rush in announcing the decision to deploy the THAAD system and then the location for deployment prior and after the announcement of the ruling on the South China Sea arbitration case filed by the Philippines, but it made a diplomatic misjudgment, completely underestimated the Chinese determination, will and ability to defend its national security, and believed China was pressurized by the South China Sea arbitration case with no way to attend other matters so that it can fish in troubled waters. To play tricks and engage in maneuvering in international relations is not a behavior for an honorable and responsible country like South Korea to do.

South Korean authorities have also repeatedly stressed the deployment of the THAAD system is to respond to the DPRK’s nuclear and missile threats, not targeted at the third party. This argument, I am afraid that even the South Korean authorities do not believe. The South Korean decision makers is clear-cut that the THAAD system detection range is far beyond the South Korean defense needs; the management, operation and command control of such system is in the hands of the United States, who in the Asia-Pacific region is eager to establish the anti-missile system, and constrain China and others. So, how could such a THAAD system impose no threat to China’s strategic security interests? As Hankook Libo comments that a THAAD system deployed in South Korea is a part of American hegemony strategy from the very beginning.

Chinese always adheres to the neighborly policy of maintaining friendship and partnership with neighbors, also attaches great importance to the hard-won achievements of China-ROK relations, but also greater importance to the national security and core interests. As Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on July 9th in an interview with media that he hopes ROK friends to give a calm consideration to the deployment of the THAAD system whether it is really conducive to South Korea's security, it is conducive to the realization of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and it will really help to resolve the nuclear issue on the Peninsula. Former South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said the THAAD system is easy to come in, but it is on a dangerous road, yet, we should not cross a bridge with no return.

More and more ROK people have come to realize that the THAAD system deployment in South Korea is to sow the discord between China and South Korea by the United States, which serves the purpose of U.S. containment policy, and has already become an obstacle to the development of China-ROK relations, and Russian–ROK relations. The best outlet for South Korean authorities is to stop the introduction process so as to avoid backfire.