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President orders thorough probe
By Kim Rahn
The U.S. military has brought in four additional launchers for its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery deployed here, in addition to the two already in operation, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.
The Ministry of National Defense, however, failed to share the information with the new administration until very recently, the office said.
President Moon Jae-in ordered a full inspection into how the additional launchers were brought in and why this was concealed, describing the incident as "very shocking," according to Yoon Young-chan, the senior secretary for public relations.
The revelation could lead to an investigation into former National Security Office head Kim Kwan-jin and Defense Minister Han Min-koo, analysts said. They were appointed to the posts by ousted former President Park Geun-hye.
A THAAD battery is usually comprised of six mobile launchers, radar and ancillary equipment. The former Park Geun-hye government pushed ahead with the deployment of the anti-missile system here as a deterrent to North Korea's missile provocations despite protests from opposition parties, civic groups and residents of the planned deployment site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
When some of the equipment was brought here in late April, the ministry said two launchers were part of the delivery. About 10 days after the surprise entry of these parts, Moon, who has said the agreement to install the THAAD battery had procedural flaws, became the new President.
"Newly appointed National Security Office head Chung Eui-yong reported to Moon that four launchers had been additionally transported to Korea and have been kept at a military base," Yoon said. "The defense ministry did not mention this when it gave a policy briefing to the presidential advisory committee on May 25."
The committee is the de facto transition team for the Moon administration, which was launched immediately after his election without a transition period.
Yoon said Moon confirmed the entry of the four launchers by calling Defense Minister Han Min-koo in person, and said it was "very shocking."
The four launchers arrived here before the Moon administration was launched ― between April 26 when the initial two were brought in and May 10 when Moon was sworn in ― according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"Moon ordered Chung and senior secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk to thoroughly investigate how the launchers were brought here, who decided on it, why the ministry kept it secret and why it did not report the fact to the new government," Yoon said.
The President also ordered an investigation into suspicions that the delivery was aimed at skipping an environmental survey of the battery, according to Yoon.
Officials at the advisory committee also said the ministry mentioned only the two launchers. "We asked ministry officials about a media report on the possible delivery of four additional launchers, but they said only two were here," spokesman Park Kwang-on said.
The ministry said it reported the four additional launchers to Chung on May 26, a day after its briefing to the committee. However, Cheong Wa Dae denied the ministry's claim, saying it never received a report on the four launchers that day.
On April 26, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) transported an AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar, two launchers, and fire and control elements to the site in a surprise overnight operation, allegedly without due procedure such as a study on the environmental impact of the installation.
As former President Park was ousted and the presidential election campaign was ongoing at that time, many expected the installation and operation of the THAAD battery would be decided later by the next government. But the ministry pushed ahead with it.
Moon said the disputed issue should have a public consensus and require National Assembly approval because it is an issue of providing land to the USFK.
Earlier this month, Moon sent Hong Seok-hyun, a special envoy to the U.S., and delivered his stance to high-ranking officials there that he would seek the Assembly's ratification for the deployment.
The battery caused another controversy when U.S. President Donald Trump said South Korea should pay for the deployment, worth $1 billion, against the initial deal between the two countries. The government then said according to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), South Korea provided the USFK with the site for the anti-missile system and other infrastructure while the U.S. would bear the cost of deployment and operation.
