Would South Korea join the United States Missile Defense system? 남한은 미국의 미사일 시스템에 참여할 것인가?

* Image source: space4peace.tistory.com
아시아-태평양 MD 반대와 군비 경쟁 종식을 위한 국제 대회(2009.4.16~18) 한국 홈페이지
Korean blog for the International Conference against the Asia Pacific Missile Defense and for the End of Arms Race
(For more detail, in English, click HERE)

* Image & caption source: Life

Anti-US Demonstration In Seoul

'387605 05: Demonstrators shout slogans during an anti-American rally April 7, 2001 in Seoul. About 1,000 protesters gathered to demand an end to plans for a US National Missile Defense program and the Theater Missile Defense program, which they say threatens peace in the Korean peninsula. The demonstrators also called for the withdrawal of US troops stationed in South Korea.' (* 2001년 4월 7일 천여명이 모였다 하네요!)
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* 관련 국문 기사들

평화와 통일을 여는 사람들: 김태영 국방장관의 미사일방어(MD) 체제 참여 검토 규탄 사회단체 공동 기자회견 (2010년 10월 25일 예정)
정욱식, 평화 넷트워크: MD와 한반도, 무엇이 문제인가?(2009/3/6)(* 마우스를 내려가시면 국문
참여 연대: MD는 공격적 무기! 한국형이든 미국형이든 절대로 안된다!(2006/12/21)
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* When Shin Hak-Yong, National Assembly man, Democratic Party, asked Kim Tae-Young, the Ministry of National Defense, whether he has the plan to join the US MD during the session of the National Assembly's investigation on the government affairs, the minister replied that he was prudently considering on it on Oct. 23, 2010. The controversy is being heated here. The Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea thinks it is as if the Minister of National Defense officially acknowledged his plan to join the US MD. The SPARK would have a press interview against the ministry’s decision on coming Oct. 25, 2010.

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* Refer to the below Yonhap News article. Please just refer to the fact that the article' title of
'S. Korea rules out joining U.S. regional missile defense' is really miss-conducting.

Yonhap News
Oct. 23, 2010

SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has no plan to join the U.S. regional missile defense system but it will continue to strengthen cooperation with Washington to counter North Korea's missile threat, the defense ministry said Saturday.

The ministry issued a statement to clarify comments made by its minister, Kim Tae-young, during a parliamentary audit a day earlier that were interpreted by some as suggesting that South Korea was considering joining the U.S. regional missile defense system.

South Korea and the United States "will discuss ways to share information and to use resources for the protection of the Korean Peninsula from the threat of North Korean weapons of mass destruction when their Extended Deterrence Policy Committee meets," the ministry said in the statement.

During their annual Security Consultative Meeting earlier this month, the defense chiefs of the allies agreed to form the committee as a cooperation mechanism to enhance deterrence against the North.

"This does not mean (South) Korea will participate in the U.S. regional defense missile system," the ministry said.

South Korea's anti-missile defense system, called Korea Air and Missile Defense, is designed to intercept low-flying, short-range North Korean missiles with the help of Aegis shipboard missile defense systems, while the U.S. system targets short- and mid-range ballistic missiles, according to ministry officials.

"The past U.S. missile defense system was tailored to shielding the U.S. mainland, but its goals have been shifting to regional missile defense," a ministry official said, requesting anonymity. "We will strengthen cooperation and information sharing with the U.S."

hkim@yna.co.kr

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* Note: Excerpt of SCM 한미 안보 연례 협의회 공동 선언문 발제:

* 6. Secretary Gates reaffirmed the continued U.S. commitment to provide and strengthen extended deterrence for the ROK, using the full range of military capabilities, to include the U.S. nuclear umbrella, conventional strike, and missile defense capabilities (The whole statement can be seen here)

* 6. 게이츠 장관은 미 합중국의 핵우산, 재래식 타격능력 및 미사일 방어능력을 포함한 모든 범주의 군사능력을 운용하여 대한민국을 위해 확장억제를 제공하고 강화할 것이라는 미 합중국의 계속된 공약을 재확인하였습니다. (국문 전문은 여기를 클릭)