S. Korean president ‘shocked’ to find 4 unaccounted US THAAD launchers in his country
RT.com
30 May, 2017
The newly-elected president of South Korea ordered a probe into why the country’s defense ministry failed to report to him the import of four more rocket launchers for the US anti-missile system in addition to the two confirmed publicly.
“President Moon said it was very shocking,” to hear the four additional launchers had been installed without being reported to the new government or to the public, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan told a media briefing on Tuesday.
The deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was approved by the previous conservative government in Seoul, which fell after then-President Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party was impeached under the corruption charges. Moon Jae-in, a Democrat, won the May 9 election and is in the process of power transition. A promise to review the controversial THAAD deal was part of his campaign.
Moon’s office announced a probe into an undisclosed entry of four THAAD launchers, which were brought into the country in addition to two units, the deployment of which was publicly announced.
“President Moon ordered to find out how the four additional rocket launchers were brought into the country, who made such a decision, why this has not been disclosed to the people and why this has not been reported to the new administration even to date,” Yoon said as cited by Yonhap news agency.
“President Moon ordered his senior secretary for civil affairs and the NSO chief to find the truth behind the secret entry of the four rocket launchers,” he added.
The agency notes that the existence of additional launchers was quite open. Footage of four launchers being deployed was filmed and broadcast by a local TV station in April. A fully-equipped THAAD battery is supposed to have at least six launchers equipped with eight interceptor missiles each along with a radar station and two operations centers.
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