THAAD redeployment sparks fears of high altitude defense gap in South Korea

The reported redeployment of parts of the United States’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East has raised questions about whether the move could affect missile defense readiness on the Korean Peninsula. Although experts say the move is unlikely to create a significant gap in South Korea’s defenses, it reflects the growing flexibility in how U.S. military assets stationed here are used. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Pentagon was moving parts of a THAAD system from South Korea to the Middle East, citing two U.S. officials. The report said that the U.S. military is also drawing on its supply of Patriot interceptors, which are deployed in the Indo-Pacific and other regions, to strengthen defenses against Iranian drone and ballistic missile attacks. The redeployment comes as tensions in the Middle East have escalated following U.S. strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on American facilities in the region. Analysts say the move may be part of a broader effort by Washington to reinforce air defenses around key baWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times