Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Curtis Scaparrotti said the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea is in the early phase of consideration.
 
After speaking at a lecture hosted by the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis on Tuesday, the commander said he recommended deploying THAAD in South Korea and the final decision on the matter will be made after close discussions between the two sides.
 
The head of American troops stationed in South Korea said the U.S. missile defense system would provide a greater sense of security amid North Korea’s evolving threats. He also stressed that the deployment would boost interoperability between the South Korean and U.S. military assets.
 
The USFK said South Korea and the U.S. have not made any final decisions regarding either the permanent stationing of a U.S. THAAD unit on the peninsula or ROK acquisition of its own THAAD system for inclusion in the KAMD.
 
South Korea has previously expressed its concerns about incorporating its own defense system into the U.S. THAAD. Seoul has long talked about a plan to build its own missile defense system, called the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system. The KAMD is a lower-altitude defense terminal, which covers altitude of 40 kilometers or less. The THAAD covers altitudes from 40 kilometers to 150 kilometers.