WASHINGTON: The United States has not moved a key missile defense system out of South Korea, a US military official said Tuesday, following reports that Washington was shifting parts of it to the Middle East. The Washington Post reported last month, citing unnamed officials, that the United States was moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system out of South Korea for use in its war with Iran. The report had caused disquiet in South Korea, where the system is a pillar of national defense against nuclear-armed North Korea. The commander of the US forces in South Korea said Washington had &quot;not moved any THAAD systems&quot; out of the country. &quot;THAAD still remains on the peninsula currently,&quot; Xavier Brunson said at a US Senate committee hearing in Washington. &quot;We are sending munitions forward (to the Middle East), and those are sitting right now waiting to move,&quot; Brunson said without providing further details. Asked if he expected the system to remain in place, Brunson replied: &quot;We do.&quot; THAAD is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles using hit-to-kill technology. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had said Seoul was unhappy with its reported redeployment but acknowledged there was little the government could do about it. Seoul&#39;s defense ministry said it could deter threats from North Korea even if the United States relocated some of its military assets. The United States stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea, and the THAAD system was installed in South Korea in 2017. It sparked strong protests from nearby China, which viewed the system as a threat to its national security. North Korea is showing a &quot;very serious increase&quot; in its ability to produce atomic weapons, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said during a visit to Seoul this month. The North said this week it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles that tested the power of its cluster munitions, the latest in a flurry of launches by the diplomatically isolated state.

US Army Military Academy Cadets march on Pennsylvania Avenue during the presidential inaugration parade. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Americas

A US official confirmed the United States has not removed its THAAD missile defense system from South Korea despite reports of redeployment to the Middle East.

US military says key weapons system staying in South Korea

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The United States may relocate parts of its advanced Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system from South Korea to the Middle East, according to BBC and South Korean media outlets. The reported move comes after two weeks into the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, during which Iran has launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeting Israeli territory and US military bases across the region. &ldquo;While we have expressed opposition, the reality is that we cannot fully push through our position,&rdquo; South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said, adding that the move would not weaken South Korea&rsquo;s overall deterrence strategy. He acknowledged the reports during a cabinet meeting and said Seoul had expressed opposition to the withdrawal of US weapons from the country. The relocation is believed to be linked to the intensifying missile exchanges in the Middle East and the growing pressure on US missile defense capabilities as Iran continues large-scale missile launches, BBC reported. THAAD, manufactured by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin, is designed to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at high altitude using &ldquo;hit-to-kill&rdquo; technology that destroys incoming warheads through kinetic impact. An Iranian strike earlier this month destroyed a radar component of an existing THAAD system in Jordan, which reportedly cost around $300 million. The United States currently operates eight THAAD systems worldwide, including two in the Middle East deployed in Jordan and Israel, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates operate three additional systems in the region. The&nbsp;New York Times reported that Iran has fired more than 500 ballistic missiles since the start of the conflict, although many of them were intercepted by Israeli and US defense systems. Analysts say the high volume of missile attacks could be straining Washington&rsquo;s missile defense inventory, particularly as Tehran appears prepared for a prolonged conflict that could draw in more regional actors and US allies, according to BBC. A US official told the Washington Post that the possible redeployment from South Korea was a &ldquo;precautionary measure.&rdquo;&nbsp; Meanwhile, South Korean media outlets, including SBS and Yonhap, reported that THAAD launchers were already being transported from the Seongju airbase south of Seoul.

Asia

Middle East

The United States is relocating parts of its THAAD missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East amid the ongoing Iran war, prompting concern in Seoul over regional security and defense preparedness.

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US military says key weapons system staying in South Korea

US to shift missile defense system from South Korea to Middle East