Seoul, South Korea. Like most Trump productions, the Korean confrontation started out big, huge, and a real big deal. Unfortunately for American plans in Korea, an embarrassing speed bump has popped up where somebody forgot to get the Koreans agreement to pay for the Trump missiles.
The South Koreans have slammed President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Seoul should pay for the missile system that is now being deployed in the country. Trump had earlier questioned why the US was paying for the system that he has valued at $1 Billion dollars. .
“I informed South Korea it would be appropriate if they paid. It’s a billion dollar system,” Trump said Thursday, “It’s phenomenal, shoots missiles right out of the sky.”
Trump’s statements came after the US started deploying launchers, radar and other elements of the advanced anti-missile system to the site in Seongju. The surprise move to accelerate the deployment came amid tensions in the peninsula following America’s rush to confront North Korea.
The American missiles have has also been a major topic of discussion in South Korea’s ongoing presidential race. Front runner Moon Jae-in’s top foreign policy adviser said Trump’s suggestion that Seoul pay for Thaad would be an “impossible option”.
“There is no change in South Korea and the United States’ position that our government provides the land and supporting facilities and the US bears the cost of Thaad system’s deployment, operation and maintenance,” South Korea’s defense ministry responded as to the official position at this time.