The ruling Saenuri Party on Monday assailed Moon Jae-in, a potential presidential candidate of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, for his call for the suspension of the deployment of a controversial US-led missile shield in South Korea.

“I’m disappointed at the level of understanding that a presidential hopeful like Moon has on our security and reality,” Saenuri floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk said.

“The one who would be most delighted by the news that we suspend the THAAD deployment is North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Moon should have more sense of responsibility on security issues.”

Moon on Sunday urged President Park Geun-hye to temporarily halt procedures for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system here and divert her efforts toward renewing diplomacy that could help persuade Pyeongyang to abandon its nuclear ambition.

“The government has made abundantly clear that it will not accept the North’s nuclear ambition by deciding to deploy the THAAD and selecting where the weapons will be installed,” the liberal politician wrote on his Facebook account.

“I don’t think a temporary delay would cause a major disruption of the plan.”

The remark appeared to signal a change in Moon’s tone toward the contentious issue, observers said. The politician, who had previously called for an “outright withdrawal” of the THAAD deployment, said that he understands that it is difficult for the Korean government to backtrack on the bilateral agreement made in July with the US to install its advanced missile system. 

Instead, Moon stepped up his demand for the government to seek parliamentary approval on deploying THAAD, arguing the move would incur financial burdens on taxpayers and thus constitutes an international treaty that must be approved by the legislative body.

Under South Korea’s Constitution Article 60, the National Assembly has the right “to consent to the conclusion and ratification of treaties pertaining to mutual assistance or mutual security, and treaties which would incur grave financial burden on the state or people.”

Moon claimed the deployment would cost more than previously thought because the government has to purchase private property for it. The Defense Ministry announced in September it would deploy THAAD batteries at a location on a golf course owned by Lotte Group.

Saenuri’s Chung, however, rebuked Moon’s argument that the THAAD deployment is subject to parliamentary approval, echoing the government’s assertion the decision to introduce the weapon system does not constitute treaties but an “implementation arrangement” under the Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty and Status of Forces Agreement.

By Yeo Jun-suk  (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)