North Korea Threat
USFK commander: THAAD remains in South Korea amid redeployment speculation, munitions await Middle East transfer
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In the latest on THAAD redeployment concerns from South Korea, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson confirmed on Tuesday that the full Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system stays on the Korean peninsula, while some munitions await shipment to the Middle East. The statement addresses ongoing speculations during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back stressed South Korea's efforts to bolster self-reliant defense capabilities alongside a stronger alliance with the United States during a speech in Singapore on May 30.
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The U.S. Department of Defense's 2026 National Defense Strategy states that South Korea has the capability to take primary responsibility for deterring North Korean threats with limited American support. This aligns with the Trump administration's America First policy, aiming to modernize the alliance and shift focus toward countering China. While assessing North Korea's nuclear threat as severe, the strategy omits any goal of denuclearization.