South Korea, China aim to repair frayed ties

South Korea, China aim to repair frayed ties

Seoul and Beijing appear to be moving past THAAD missile defense controversy

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) - South Korea and China have agreed to get their relationship “back on track” more than a year after Seoul’s decision to deploy the United States’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.

The American anti-missile system, which is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, is aimed at containing a North Korean missile attack.

Viewed by Beijing as a security threat, the THAAD issue has prompted both overt protests by China and unofficial economic retaliatory measures such as barring large group tours to South Korea.

A statement from Seoul’s Foreign Ministry carried by Yonhap News Agency Tuesday revealed the two sides have “agreed to expeditiously bring exchanges and cooperation in all areas back onto a normal track”.

While China still “opposes the deployment,” according to the ministry, “the two agreed to engage in communication on THAAD-related issues”.

A day earlier, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha insisted that South Korea is not considering expanding the THAAD deployment beyond the current six launchers installed earlier this year.

These developments will be a boost for President Moon Jae-in on the back of a currency swap deal with China.

In a further sign of warming ties, South Korea’s presidential office also announced a second summit between Moon and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week when they attend a regional leaders’ gathering in Vietnam.

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