[Fact Check] Presidential Candidates' 'THAAD Deployment' Debate... Is It Really Necessary?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] As the presidential candidates from the two major parties clashed over the issue of additional deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system during a TV debate, controversy over its necessity has also arisen among military experts.

The basis for Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party candidate, advocating for additional THAAD deployment is North Korea's electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack threat. If North Korea launches a long-range missile aimed at the United States at a high angle, it could also attack Seoul. In this case, if the nuclear warhead detonates in the air above the target instead of hitting the ground, it can disable surrounding electronic communication equipment, damaging power grids and communication networks. This is an EMP attack.

Therefore, since only THAAD can intercept North Korean missiles at altitudes up to 100 km above Seoul, additional THAAD deployment is necessary. North Korea’s intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) 'Hwasong-12,' launched on the 30th of last month, has a range of 4,500 to 5,000 km but was detected flying about 800 km due to its high-angle launch.

Shin Jong-woo, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum (KODEF), said, "North Korea is already launching long-range missiles from various angles to carry out EMP attacks," adding, "It is necessary to prepare for missiles from multiple directions."

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, opposes additional THAAD deployment. He argues that since North Korea possesses various short-range missiles such as Scud missiles and the KN series, there is no reason to launch long-range missiles at a high angle. Using a car analogy, it is like building an F1 car for speed but driving it on mountainous roads.

The general expert consensus is that it is difficult to confirm missile technological advancements through high-angle launches like North Korea’s Hwasong-12. North Korea is suspected of not having secured atmospheric re-entry technology for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), so it needs to demonstrate its capabilities to the international community, including the United States. Although theoretically possible to launch at a high angle targeting Seoul, it is interpreted that actual launches are not easy.

Kim Dong-yeop, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said, "North Korea already possesses many short-range missiles aimed at us," and added, "Attacking our territory with long-range missiles is not cost-effective."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.