Policy Analysis Of South Korea Deployment Of THAAD System

South Korea deploying THAAD system as a response strategy to the North Korean nuclear crisis,has attracted worldwide attention.As the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System,it has been far beyond South Korea's security needs.The security situation in Northeast Asia will be more nervous and the Korean Peninsula crisis will be more complicated with the deployment of THAAD system.Since 2014,the United States has been pushing South Korea to deploy THAAD system,and South Korea adheres to the principles of “No Request,No Discussion,and No Decision”.However,North Korea has accomplished the fourth and the fifth nuclear test in 2016.This event directly promotes South Korea accepting American request,and decide to deploy THAAD system.When deploying THAAD system,South Korea has been faced with many challenges.For example,the request of South Korea paying for 1 billion dollars may bring significant pressure on defense budget;Because the coverage area of the system is limited,its practical effect remains to be inspected;Another challenge is that residents of South Korea are opposed to it because of its harm on living environment.Moreover,the range of radar radiation range is very wide,which has threat to the security interests in parts of China and Russia.Thus,China and Russia stick against.Deployment of THHAD system can make the Korean Peninsula more nervous,and has shocked on the relationships between China and South Korea,and Russia and South Korea,destroying the balance of Northeast Asian.Though faced with multiple stressors and negative influences,South Korea is still in accelerating the pace of the deployment of THHAD system from the perspective of practice.Under the perspective of constructivism,this study aims to explore the reasons of South Korea deploying THHAD system.As an important theory in western international relations,constructivism has been widely applying to explain problems of South Korea and North Korea since 1980 s.The core point is that national status decides national identity,and national identity decides national interests,and national interests eventually decides national behaviors.Through the analysis applying the constructivism,this study finds that the immediate cause promoting South Korea deploying THHAD is North Korea's threat to South Korea's security,especially the fourth nuclear test in 2016.Secondly,the United States puts pressure on South Korea.Influenced by historical factors,formation of military alliance during the cold war still has its effect on the relationship.From South Korea's own perspective,the identity construction of South Korea attached to the United States to seek their own development.As a firm follower in military,political and economic,the development of South Korea depends mostly on the United States.South Korea has stronger identity to its ideology and national power,and it must be consistent with American identity and interests.This study consider South Korea deploying THHAD system can not protect fundamentally its nationality security,and it can bring unstable variables to the Northeast Asian Region.From the perspective of national security,in order to safeguard national security and interests,South Korea should make efforts to promote and perfect the building of ballistic missile defense capabilities,and construct peace mechanism of the Korea Peninsula positively,and strengthen the construction of the multilateral relations in northeast Asia countries.