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A US THAAD missile defense firing control radar (provided by the US Missile Defense Agency)

For now, the US has rejected a proposal made by the Chinese government on Mar. 8 for the simultaneous suspension of North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile development program and of the US and South Korea’s joint military exercises. This reconfirms American plans to push ahead with the deployment of the THAAD antimissile system on the Korean Peninsula.

“It’s not a fair trade,” said Mark Toner, acting spokesperson for the US State Department, on Mar. 8, when asked about China’s proposal to act as a mediator toward resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

“This is apples and oranges,” Toner said. “Our joint military exercises are transparent, they’re defense-oriented, and have been carried out regularly and openly under the Combined Forces Command for going on 40 years.” He added that this “is in no way comparable to the blatant disregard that North Korea has shown with respect to international law.”

“We remain open to dialogue with North Korea with the aim of returning to credible and authentic negotiations on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Toner said, while noting that “the onus is on North Korea to take meaningful actions toward denuclearization and refrain from provocations.”

“The US is unlikely to immediately accept a simultaneous suspension of North Korea’s nuclear and missile development and the US-ROK joint exercises. [China’s] proposal was the first step,” said a diplomatic source who is knowledgable about circumstances in China, hinting that China will take additional action in the future.

During the regular press briefing on Mar. 8, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, “We’re continuing to work with the government of South Korea to make sure that they have the defenses necessary to protect themselves. The deployment of a THAAD system is critical to their protection.”

While the US has repeatedly stated that the objective of the THAAD deployment is to protect both the people of South Korea and the US military, Spicer only mentioned protecting South Korea during the day’s briefing.

In a press conference held after an emergency meeting of the UN Security at the UN headquarters in New York on Mar. 8 in regard to North Korea’s missile launch, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said, "We are not dealing with a rational person,” referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“National Security Council deputies have considered a range of options, and have already come to the predictable conclusion that a dramatic show of force, like attacks on the North’s missile and nuclear sites, would probably start a war,” the New York Times reported on Mar. 7 in a story about the North Korean policy being considered by the Trump administration, suggesting that the much-discussed idea of a preemptive strike has effectively been ruled out.

By Yi Yong-in, Washington correspondent

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