Moon orders probe into unreported THAAD missile deployment

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered an additional probe into an unreported deployment of four more mobile launchers of the US missile shield in the country.

Moon ordered an investigation into the "intentional" omission of report to him about the deployment of four THAAD mobile launchers at an unidentified US military base in South Korea, Xinhua news agency reported.

The President was later briefed on the investigation findings that showed Wi Seung-ho, Chief of the Defence Ministry's National Defence Policy Office, ordered officials to omit the deployment of four more THAAD launchers from a document to the presidential Blue House.

Wi will be excluded from relevant defence affairs, while other relevant Defence Ministry officials will be subjected to further investigations, according to the Blue House.

President Moon also ordered a separate probe into the Defence Ministry, that is suspected of avoiding the environmental assessment of THAAD at a golf course in Seongju county, North Gyeongsang province.

Seoul and Washington decided in July last year to deploy one THAAD battery in southeast South Korea. The site was altered in last September into the golf course at a small village.

About two weeks before the presidential by-election on May 9, two mobile launchers, the radar and other heavy equipments were transported in the middle of night to the golf course.

The hurried installation boosted speculation that it aimed to politicise security issues during the sensitive election campaign period.

--IANS

soni/vt