US prepares to redeploy THAAD missiles from South Korea to Middle East

KATHMANDU: The United States military in South Korea is preparing to redeploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles to the Middle East, according to a local media report on Wednesday.

Dong-A Ilbo cited an unnamed senior South Korean official, saying that THAAD interceptors were moved from Seongju County in North Gyeongsang Province to Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, about 70 kilometers south of the capital Seoul.

Another official suggested that the move signals the Pentagon’s plan to position the missiles in the Middle East.

According to the international media, the Pentagon is shifting parts of its THAAD battery from South Korea while also reallocating Patriot interceptors from the Indo-Pacific and other regions.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung noted in a meeting on Tuesday that while Seoul had expressed opposition to USFK’s retrieval of air defense systems for its own military needs, the country was unable to fully enforce its position.