Korean Peninsula needs talks, not THAAD

While dividing public opinion in the Republic of Korea and provoking strong opposition from neighboring countries, including China, the recent decision by the ROK to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on its soil has also antagonized the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Aside from making fierce objections to the move, the DPRK has launched medium and short-term missiles in response to the announcement. Pyongyang is likely to further escalate its military reactions to the deployment of the United States' THAAD anti-ballistic missile system in the ROK, which will further worsen the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The reason openly cited for the deployment of THAAD in the ROK is to defend against the threats from the DPRK. However, such a pretext has essentially exposed the US' rigid policy toward regional security pressures and its passive approach to resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.