Finance
US Did Not Move Defense System From Korea, General Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 21, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 21, 2026
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U.S. Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson affirmed on April 21, 2026 that no complete THAAD system was removed from South Korea for the Iran war, though some radar assets and munitions were repositioned temporarily.
US General Confirms THAAD Missile Defense System Remains in South Korea
THAAD Deployment and Recent Developments
Background of the THAAD System in South Korea
WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The United States did not move a key missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East for the Iran war, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea said on Tuesday.
The Washington Post reported in March that the Pentagon was moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Middle East from South Korea, citing two officials.
The U.S.-made THAAD system is used for high-altitude interception of ballistic missiles and it was deployed in South Korea to guard against nuclear-armed North Korea.
Senate Committee Hearing and Official Statements
The commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, General Xavier Brunson, was asked at a Senate committee hearing by Democratic Senator Gary Peters about South Korean concerns that moving THAAD weakened deterrence against North Korea.
General Brunson's Clarification
"We have not moved any THAAD systems, so THAAD still remains on the peninsula currently, but we are sending munitions forward, and those are sitting right now waiting to move," Brunson said.
"So there were previous moves, where radars were taken forward. This was in advance of Midnight Hammer," he said referring to U.S. attacks on Iran last June.
"Some of those things have not come back yet, but the THAAD systems themselves ... remain on peninsula," he said, adding that he expected them to remain there.
"We moved them around. I think that's what got into the information space," Brunson said.
"I was dynamically moving those around, so that I could then sequence them into Osan Air Base to prepare them to move the munitions and that caused a big kerfuffle on the peninsula," he said, referring to one of the two main U.S. air bases in South Korea.
South Korea's Response and Regional Security
After the reports of the movements in March, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul could deter any threats from North Korea even if Washington redeploys weapons from the peninsula.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Phil Stewart; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Key Takeaways
- •Gen. Brunson clarified THAAD systems remain on the Korean Peninsula despite radar and munitions moves.
- •Reports in March indicated parts of THAAD were being redeployed to the Middle East amid heightened Iran tensions(koreatimes.co.kr).
- •Strategic flexibility drove the temporary movement of components—but overall U.S.–South Korea deterrence remains intact, Seoul reassured(koreatimes.co.kr)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about US did not move defense system from Korea, general says
1Did the US move the THAAD missile defense system from South Korea?
No, the US did not move the THAAD missile defense system from South Korea, according to General Xavier Brunson.
2What is the purpose of the THAAD system in South Korea?
The THAAD system is deployed in South Korea to intercept ballistic missiles and defend against threats from North Korea.
3Were any parts of US missile defense moved to the Middle East?
Radars and some munitions were temporarily moved, but the THAAD systems remain in South Korea.
4Why was there confusion about the relocation of the THAAD system?
Movements of equipment for operational reasons caused speculation, but the core THAAD system stayed in South Korea.
5How did South Korea respond to reports of the missile system's movement?
South Korea's President stated that Seoul could still deter threats from North Korea even if US weapons were redeployed.
