By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) - A long-running missile defense saga in South Korea took a new twist on Wednesday, as Seoul's presidential office put on hold plans to complete the deployment of America's THAAD system.
Last year's agreement with Washington to station Terminal High Altitude Area Defense on the peninsula was seen as a protective measure in the face of rising North Korean threats, but it also prompted anger among left-leaning lawmakers at home amid a series of unofficial Chinese sanctions against the South.
Beijing appears to have softened its stance since Moon Jae-in was elected South Korean president a month ago, with the liberal leader's Democratic Party pledging to investigate the THAAD deployment – which critics argue was rushed by the outgoing conservative administration of ousted President Park Geun-hye.
Moon's new government has overseen steps towards a full environmental assessment of placing THAAD in a remote corner of the country, while the Defense Ministry has been under fire since late last month for failing to report the arrival of four THAAD rocket launchers in addition to the two that were officially known about.
"We are not saying the two launchers and other equipment that have already been deployed should be withdrawn. But those that have yet to be deployed will have to wait," a presidential spokesperson told reporters, according to Yonhap News Agency.
It leaves in limbo at least some THAAD equipment in a country where around 30,000 American troops are stationed, but Seoul insists there will be no hurry.
"[North Korea's] nuclear tests have been going on for a long time, and so whether we must urgently install [the THAAD] by ignoring our legal procedures is a question," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.
The official added that an assessment following proper procedures could take more than a year, and the government had gathered a task force to address various THAAD controversies.