A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor (right) is seen in Seongju, South Korea, April 26, 2017.
Reuters: Trump's demand Seoul pay for THAAD will test ties as Moon presidency looms
U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that South Korea could pay for an advanced U.S. missile defense system could test the strength of the alliance between Seoul and Washington at a time of rising tensions with North Korea, analysts said on Friday.
In an exclusive interview, Trump told Reuters on Thursday that he wants South Korea to pay for the $1 billion Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system.
The remarks come as South Korea heads into a presidential election that will likely elect liberal front-runner Moon Jae-in, who has said the next administration in Seoul should have the final say on the deployment of THAAD. Moon's campaign office said the deployment of THAAD should be immediately suspended until then.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: South Korea is saying no .... South Korea Rejects Trump’s $1 Billion THAAD Demand (VOA). But on this issue, President Trump has leverage .... Trump threatens to scrap 'horrible' South Korea trade deal (The Hill).
More News On President Trump Believing South Korea Should Pay For THAAD Missile Defense Deployment
Trump: South Korea should pay $1 billion cost of anti-missile battery -- Stars and Stripes
Trump: South Korea should pay for $1B missile defense system -- CNN
Trump wants S. Korea to foot $1bn THAAD bill, Seoul says no -- RT
Trump tough on South Korea: Threatens to terminate free trade deal, wants payment for THAAD missile defense system -- CNBC
South Korea paying for THAAD 'impossible': adviser to presidential frontrunner -- Reuters
S. Korea disputes Trump comments on missile system, trade -- ABC News
South Korea balks at Donald Trump’s $1bn payment demand for Thaad -- Financial Times
South Korea rebuffs Trump's $1 billion use-charge for a US missile-defense system -- Business Insider
Trump Remarks on Trade, Missile Defense Rattle South Korea -- WSJ
$1 Billion For THAAD? Trump Chips Away at the US-South Korea Alliance -- The Diplomat
Trumps right on this.
ReplyDeleteTrumps right on this.
ReplyDeleteOf course South Korea should pay for this, if they want it. This is experiential common sense. In fact, how much the US expected South Korea to pay for this should have been decided on before a decision was made to deploy this system.
ReplyDeleteAfter all no one installs a new computer system or a new machine in the office or facility of a customer without first reaching agreement on the price. In fact, the customer usually pays in full in advance or pays a substantial down with the balance due on completion of the job. Part of the price will by necessity include the cost of training company personnel on the operation of the new system. In this case, this will involve training South Korean personnel on the use of the THAAD system.
I've long suspected DKT to ben an impulsive soul to the point of being a complete idiot. This type of situation offers much confirmation for my thoughts.
If there is a bit of good news here, South Korea has taken us for chumps and treated us like the b!tch boy for a very, very long time. Perhaps this is about to change and South Korea will FINALLY pay a fair price for this.
Additionally, the Chinese and the Russians have made it abundantly clear that they do not want this system deployed in South Korea. While I can certainly understand why South Korea would want THAAD, us putting it there certainly undermines efforts to achieve good working relations with Russia and China, countries who are far more valuable to us than South Korea. As such, there will be additional costs to South Korea for the system that will need to be built in based upon opportunities for America that are lost.
My suggestion would be for South Korea to develop their own domestic system comparable to THAAD. The expertise of the Americans who developed the system could be utilized to speed up the development time. Of course this will cost South Korea money as well. Expert consultants expect to get paid for their services.
For South Korea to expect not to pay is a case of extreme chutzpah. Of course, as stated, they've grown accustomed to treating America and Americans like utter chumps. If American leadership is FINALLY insisting on America and Americans being treated equitably perhaps we are FINALLY beginning to behave like a normal country.