No Changes Expected in US Plans to Deploy Anti-Ballistic Missiles in South Korea

The deployment of an anti-ballistic missile system by the United States in South Korea is expected to proceed despite the recent impeachment of South Korea's president, according to White House spokesperson Josh Earnest.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The deployment of an anti-ballistic missile system by the United States in South Korea is expected to proceed despite the recent impeachment of South Korea's president, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said in a briefing on Thursday.

"I’m not aware of any change in plans for the deployment of this anti-ballistic missile battery in South Korea based on some of the political turmoil that we’ve seen in the Republic of Korea," Earnest stated.

In July, Seoul and Washington agreed to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea's Seongju County amid growing tensions spurred by North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests.

On December 9, South Korea's parliament voted in favor of removing President Park Geun-hye from office as the president was at the center of a scandal around "secret adviser" Choi Soon-sil, who is said to have pressured the county's biggest corporations and extorted money from them for her non-commercial funds abroad.

Earnest also noted that he hoped the US commitment to South Korea would not change even when President-elect Trump takes office on January 20.