China on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea, after reports surfaced that some THAAD launchers from the Seongju base were being sent to the Middle East.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters the ministry is closely following media reports of the apparent redeployment and that Beijing’s stance opposing U.S. THAAD deployments on the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged.
The comments followed observations suggesting that some THAAD equipment at the Seongju base in North Gyeongsang Province was being prepared for transfer amid deteriorating tensions in the Middle East.
Officials say a convoy left the Seongju base at about 12:30 a.m. (South Korean time) on March 3.
THAAD is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes, roughly 40–150 km (about 25–93 miles) above the ground. A single THAAD battery typically consists of six mobile launchers — each capable of firing eight interceptor missiles — one AN/TPY-2 mobile radar with a detection range up to 3,000 km (about 1,864 miles), and a fire-control center.
The equipment observed departing Seongju on the 3rd appears to include some interceptor missiles and launchers. Observers have not confirmed whether the AN/TPY-2 radar or the fire-control center left the base.
After a Washington Post report that the U.S. Department of Defense is moving some THAAD assets from U.S. Forces Korea to the Middle East and the subsequent confirmation that launchers left Seongju, the redeployment now appears likely.