Leader orders missile probe

Moon irked to learn more U.S. batteries were deployed.

BEIJING — S out h Kore a’s new President Moon Jae-in ordered a probe into the U.S.-backed THAAD missile defense system Tuesday, potentially jeopardizing a major military project designed to intercept North Korean missiles.

In March, Washington and Seoul deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, anti-ballistic missile system in the county of Seong ju, about 180 miles from Seoul. A fully equipped THAAD battery includes six to nine launchers — massive, boxy trucks that carry and fire missiles, in this case designed to intercept North Korean projectiles in midf l i g ht . The U. S. publ i c l y deployed two.

Yet Moon was “shocked” Tuesday to learn that four additional launchers had b e e n d e p l oye d , s p o ke s - man Yoon Young-chan told a media briefing, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. The country’s defense ministry had not informed Moon of the deployment, Yonhap said.

Moon “called Defense Minister Han Min-koo to confirm,” Yonhap repor ted. “Han apparently confirmed.”

The reasons for the mix-up remain unclear. Neither the U.S. nor the South Korean m i l i t a r y p u b l i c l y c o m - mented.

“President Moon ordered to find out how the four additional rocket launchers were brought into the country, who made such a decision, why this has not been disclosed to the people and why this has not been reported to the new administration even to date,” Yoon said, according to the agency.

THAAD’s deployment was overseen by the country’s conservative former President Park Geun-hye, who was ousted in March after months of protests. South Koreans elec ted Moon, a liberal, on May 9; he was inaugurated one day later. He did not get a customary two-month transition period, and is still working with Cabinet members that his predecessor appointed.

The system has stirred controversy, both at home and abroad.

Moon has criticized Park for failing to get a parliamentary approval for THAAD — she approved it in 2012, after a North Korean nuclear test — and has not sought parliamentary approval himself.

South Koreans have protested the system, claiming that it constitutes a violation of the country’s sovereignty. North Korea has also complained, calling it a sign of the United States’ “black-hearted intention.”