The U.S. Forces Korea on Thursday said it conducted an unofficial search for sites where the controversial Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense batteries could be deployed in South Korea.
Officially, the government here says no decision has been made to deploy the batteries, which form the core of the U.S. missile defense system. This was the first time the USFK has admitted it is already looking for sites.
The USFK in a press release said it did not notify South Korea of the search but will only deploy THAAD batteries here after discussions with Seoul.
The THAAD system would supplement South Korea's own air and missile defense system and the U.S.' Patriot missile defense here to ward off threats from North Korea, it added.
The USFK looked at bases in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province; Wonju, Gangwon Province; and Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province, as well as South Korean air bases as potential candidate sites.
Pyeongtaek, the future home of USFK headquarters, looks like the most promising site.
The Defense Ministry here apparently objected to the press release because it wants to keep the entire matter under wraps.