The US initially proposed deploying nine launchers of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile shield, instead of the typical six for one battery, during its consultations with South Korea last year, a government source told The Korea Herald on Tuesday.

The official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose details of the negotiations, said Washington floated the idea in the run-up to the two sides’ launch of a joint working group on the matter in March 2016.

Wary of the controversy at home over the system’s efficacy and China’s potential backlash, Seoul turned down the offer and the allies eventually settled on installing six launchers.

“The idea of forming a battery with nine launchers came up during discussions ahead of the signing of an agreement on the working group,” the source said.

“But we felt somewhat burdened by the number because there was already the solid notion in our society that one battery would entail six launchers, as well as some skepticism about the system’s overall effectiveness relative to its diplomatic impact.” 

Since 2014, some top US commanders and officials had argued for THAAD’s stationing here to better fend off North Korea’s evolving threats. Then the Park Geun-hye government, which was initially cautious about the plan, initiated formal talks with Washington in February 2016 shortly after Pyongyang staged a nuclear and long-range missile test.

A THAAD battery typically consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, a fire control and communications unit and an AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar.

A string of controversies has been surfacing ever since, mainly over the number of launchers to be put in place and the decision-making process in the lead-up to the surprise announcement.

Last month, the Moon Jae-in administration concluded that the Defense Ministry had deliberately concealed in its report that four THAAD launchers had been brought to the deployment site, not two as widely known. Following a probe, Cheong Wa Dae shunted the deputy defense minister and suspended the deployment process until an environmental review is completed.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)