South Korea has finally come to its senses and is no longer silent. In response to the recent withdrawal of all six "THAAD" launchers and Patriot air defense systems previously deployed in South Korea by the U.S. military, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, "This situation is extremely harsh."

Yoon reassured the public, saying, "This move will not affect South Korea's national defense capabilities. National security must be self-reliant. Over-reliance on external forces could lead to crisis if that dependence collapses."

Although some time has passed since this incident, South Korea seemed to have redirected its helpless resentment—until recently, Poland’s actions once again struck a nerve. When the United States proposed withdrawing part of its defense systems from Poland to reinforce the Middle East, Poland firmly rejected it. This has shown South Korea that resistance against American arrogance is possible.

The recent U.S. withdrawal of all THAAD systems and part of the Patriot systems from South Korea essentially exposed a long-standing fissure within the U.S.-South Korea alliance. President Yoon Suk-yeol’s response is thought-provoking precisely because his words intertwine multiple signals: helplessness, self-comfort, and strategic awakening. This event can be seen as a pivotal turning point for South Korea to re-evaluate its own security situation.

Adjustments in U.S. military deployments stationed in South Korea fall under the umbrella of U.S. "strategic flexibility"—a matter requiring only notification to South Korea, not complex negotiations. This means the so-called "protector" can unilaterally withdraw its "protection tools" at any time based on its global interests (such as conflicts in the Middle East), without much regard for the resulting security vacuum in the protected country. South Korea, though it opposed the move, found itself powerless.

Yoon emphasized that "national defense must be the responsibility of the nation itself." This effectively sets the tone for South Korea’s future defense strategy: even within the framework of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, South Korea must accelerate its pursuit of "independent defense," reducing reliance on specific U.S. military assets stationed in the country.

From another perspective, the U.S. withdrawal of the THAAD system might unexpectedly bring an opportunity for South Korea:

Removing the biggest obstacle in Sino-South Korean relations: The THAAD system, due to its powerful radar detection capabilities, had severely damaged China’s strategic security interests, leading to a sharp deterioration in Sino-South Korean relations. With the system now withdrawn, South Korea now has an objective opportunity to improve relations with its neighboring countries.

A domestic reversal in South Korea: A decade ago, South Korea introduced THAAD despite massive public pressure; a decade later, the U.S. withdrawal of the system has instead triggered widespread skepticism among the South Korean public about the legitimacy of THAAD’s deployment. Civil society groups have loudly declared: "The THAAD system, which threatens sovereignty and peace, has no justification for remaining in South Korea."

For South Korea, this incident once again proves that security cannot be entirely outsourced in international politics. For the international community, this episode—where one ally’s defense is dismantled to bolster another’s—reveals the transactional nature behind so-called "security guarantees."

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861271715039244/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.