A recent development has emerged regarding the six THAAD launchers previously stationed at the U.S. military base in Seongju County, South Korea, which have now been officially confirmed to have been moved to the Middle East. This information was brought to light by local anti-THAAD activists, who argue that this move indicates the original justification for the THAAD deployment as a defense against North Korea has been compromised. Instead, they assert that the installation's true purpose is surveillance aimed at China, further intensifying calls for the immediate withdrawal of both the launchers and the remaining radar systems.

The Peace Committee, comprised of six local organizations including the Seongju THAAD Withdrawal Residents Committee, released a statement emphasizing that the removal of the launchers negates any claims of a North Korean defense strategy. They contend that without the launchers, the THAAD system can no longer serve its intended purpose of defending South Korea against missile threats from the North. Instead, it is now revealed that the system primarily serves American military interests—protecting the U.S. mainland and Pacific forces from threats emanating from both North Korea and China.

In light of this revelation, the committee warns that U.S. military assets in South Korea are susceptible to being redeployed to conflict zones worldwide, undermining South Korea’s sovereignty and potentially entangling the region in broader geopolitical conflicts. They assert that the THAAD deployment no longer symbolizes security, but rather could act as a catalyst for war on the Korean Peninsula. The group has urged the South Korean government to pursue a policy of genuine self-defense and peace, distancing itself from what they describe as a humiliating alliance with the United States.