South Korea says it can deter threats from North if US shifts weapons to Middle East

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SEOUL: South Korea said on Wednesday it could deter threats from the North even if the United States relocated some of its military assets to the Middle East amid the war in Iran.

Washington, Seoul’s key security ally, stations about 28,500 troops and a range of air and missile defence systems in the South to help deter aggression from the nuclear?armed North.

The Washington Post reported this week that the United States was moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East, citing unnamed officials.

“Regardless of whether certain USFK assets are deployed overseas, there is no issue whatsoever with our deterrence posture against North Korea, given the level of our military capabilities,” the defence ministry said in a statement said on Wednesday, referring to the United States Forces Korea command. It declined to confirm the report.