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South Korea Urges US Support After Patriot System Redeployment Creates Gap in Missile Shield Against North.
In a context of global strategic realignment, South Korea has officially requested additional military support from the United States following the partial redeployment of Patriot missile defense batteries originally stationed on the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East. The information, reported on April 10, 2025, by the South Korean newspaper The Dong-A Ilbo, has raised growing concerns in Seoul about the resilience of its deterrence posture in the face of continued threats from North Korea.
Patriot missile launchers were deployed during a readiness drill in South Korea, where soldiers from the 2-1 Air Defense Battalion practiced setup and communication procedures to assess unit preparedness. (Picture source: US DoD)
According to South Korean government officials quoted on April 2, 2025, the country’s defense authorities have asked the U.S. Department of Defense to temporarily deploy substitute assets, such as alternative air defense systems or combat aircraft, on a rotational basis. These reinforcements could be dispatched from the U.S. mainland or American bases in Japan. The request comes after the relocation, between late February and early March, of two out of approximately ten Patriot batteries stationed in South Korea. These systems, which include PAC-2 and PAC-3 variants, are expected to remain deployed in the Middle East for a period of three to six months. This redeployment was carried out in coordination with Seoul under bilateral defense protocols.
Patriot systems play a central role in the joint U.S.–South Korea missile defense architecture. Positioned at key sites such as Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek and Osan Air Base, they protect U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) as well as deployed air assets in the region. The PAC-2 variant is designed to intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at medium altitude, while the newer PAC-3 version offers enhanced interception capabilities, particularly against short-range ballistic missiles. Operating at altitudes between 15 and 40 kilometers, these systems form the first line of defense against potential attacks from the North.
This capability is part of a broader layered defense system, which also includes the U.S.-operated THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system, deployed in Seongju and capable of intercepting missiles at higher altitudes (between 40 and 150 kilometers), as well as South Korea’s domestically developed Cheongung-II (KM-SAM) system, which targets threats at medium altitude. Together, these three elements form an integrated shield against North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile arsenal.
In response to the redeployment, Seoul is seeking to prevent any gap in its aerial coverage. While the specific types of substitute systems have not been publicly disclosed, options such as F-16, F-15, or F-22 fighter jets, or ground-based systems like NASAMS, are reportedly under consideration. This move also comes amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, as the Trump administration has reportedly redefined its strategic priorities. An internal Pentagon directive is said to emphasize deterrence against China, particularly in the Taiwan Strait, while urging allied nations to take on a greater share of regional security responsibilities, including those related to threats from North Korea and Russia.
In Seoul, some analysts have raised concerns that the U.S. might use such asset movements as leverage in ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations. However, a senior South Korean official downplayed this possibility, recalling that both countries have long agreed that any overseas deployment of U.S. forces should not undermine their joint deterrence posture. According to this source, it is unlikely that the Trump administration would authorize withdrawals that could compromise the operational effectiveness of USFK.
As regional tensions persist and strategic balances evolve, cooperation between Seoul and Washington remains a cornerstone of the peninsula's defense. The temporary redeployment of Patriot batteries reflects ongoing U.S. adjustments in an increasingly contested global environment, while highlighting South Korea's continued efforts to preserve the integrity of its missile defense coverage regardless of fluctuations in the U.S. military presence.