South Korea's Defense Ministry on Saturday said it did not presently intend to participate in a U.S.-headed system for missile defense, the Korea Herald reported (see GSN, June 7).
The ministry, however, said it would look to deepen collaboration between the U.S. program and the Korea Air Missile Defense effort in order to more effectively counter the danger posed by North Korea (see GSN, Oct. 22).
Seoul's antimissile system is structured to safeguard the South from short-range missiles fired by its neighbor while the U.S. system is chiefly designed to protect against medium- and long-range ballistic missile threats.
"South Korea and the U.S. will discuss intelligence sharing and operation of means regarding the missile defense system so as to protect the Korean Peninsula from the threats of North Korean nuclear weapons and its weapons of mass destruction at the Extended Deterrence Policy Committee," the ministry said in a prepared statement.
"This does not mean that we will join the )U.S. missile defense system)," it added. "This means we will strengthen cooperation with the U.S. Forces Korea in the sharing of intelligence and operation of available assets to effectively respond to threats from North Korean ballistic missiles."
Earlier this month in Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young pledged to set up a specialized group as a conduit for collaboration on enhancing the value of the U.S. nuclear umbrella over the South.
"In the past, the U.S. [missile defense] focused primarily on protecting its mainland. However, the concept of the MD has changed into a regional missile defense system," an unidentified ministry official said.
On Friday, Kim said Seoul was "seriously" analyzing whether to participate in the U.S. antimissile program. He emphasized that the effort focused on regional threats in addition to those facing the continental United States.
Seoul has been wary of participating in U.S. missile defense efforts for fear it would aggravate regional powers like Russia and China, according to the Herald (Song Sang-ho, Korea Herald, Oct. 24).
The ministry, however, said it would look to deepen collaboration between the U.S. program and the Korea Air Missile Defense effort in order to more effectively counter the danger posed by North Korea (see GSN, Oct. 22).
Seoul's antimissile system is structured to safeguard the South from short-range missiles fired by its neighbor while the U.S. system is chiefly designed to protect against medium- and long-range ballistic missile threats.
"South Korea and the U.S. will discuss intelligence sharing and operation of means regarding the missile defense system so as to protect the Korean Peninsula from the threats of North Korean nuclear weapons and its weapons of mass destruction at the Extended Deterrence Policy Committee," the ministry said in a prepared statement.
"This does not mean that we will join the )U.S. missile defense system)," it added. "This means we will strengthen cooperation with the U.S. Forces Korea in the sharing of intelligence and operation of available assets to effectively respond to threats from North Korean ballistic missiles."
Earlier this month in Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-young pledged to set up a specialized group as a conduit for collaboration on enhancing the value of the U.S. nuclear umbrella over the South.
"In the past, the U.S. [missile defense] focused primarily on protecting its mainland. However, the concept of the MD has changed into a regional missile defense system," an unidentified ministry official said.
On Friday, Kim said Seoul was "seriously" analyzing whether to participate in the U.S. antimissile program. He emphasized that the effort focused on regional threats in addition to those facing the continental United States.
Seoul has been wary of participating in U.S. missile defense efforts for fear it would aggravate regional powers like Russia and China, according to the Herald (Song Sang-ho, Korea Herald, Oct. 24).
http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20101025_1787.php
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