The United States has deployed additional Patriot missile systems to South Korea to counteract North Korea’s missile threats, the U.S. Forces Korea said Friday. 

“This deployment is part of an emergency deployment readiness exercise conducted in response to recent North Korean provocations,” the USFK said in a press release.

The Patriot missiles from D Battery of the 1-43 Air Defense Artillery unit stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas have joined the two existing batteries in the 8th Army’s Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Osan Air Base, the statement said. 

The USFK has maintained the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 and PAC-3 interception systems at its bases in Osan and other locations, designed to shoot down incoming missiles at altitudes of 10-15 kilometers in the “terminal phase” of flight. 

“The ROK (South Korea)-U.S. Alliance is mission focused on the real threat from North Korea,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Vandal, Commanding General of the 8th Army. 

“North Korea’s continued development of ballistic missiles against the expressed will of the international community requires the Alliance to maintain effective and ready ballistic missile defenses. Exercises like this ensure we are always ready to defend against an attack from North Korea.”
The enhanced deployment follows North Korea’s Feb. 7 launch of a long-range rocket that the international community deems is aimed at enhancing its intercontinental ballistic missiles capabilities.

The USFK said the unit will research the ability to better integrate the missile defense posture of South Korea and the U.S., to develop the alliance’s comprehensive capabilities to defend against, detect, disrupt and destroy North Korean missile threats.

It added that D Battery will not be stationed indefinitely in South Korea, but be rotated every six months.

The latest unit deployed is part of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, which operates the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense that the United States wants to station here.

Political parties here showed mixed reaction to the additional deployment.

The ruling Saenuri Party welcomed it as a due measure against the heightened security threat.

“It is only natural and welcome for our ally the U.S. to jointly reinforce defense capabilities and establish the security posture,” said Saenuri spokesman Rep. Lee Jang-woo.

The main opposition party, for its part, was more weary.

“We are concerned about further escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” The Minjoo Party of Korea spokesman Kim Sung-soo said, adding that the party would not release an official statement on the issue. 

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)