Between US, China
Washington and Beijing are putting pressure on Seoul over the same diplomatic issues.
Specifically, the issues refer to the missile defense system of South Korea and the resumption of the six-party talks. The United States is seeking to deploy its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program to Korea while China is asserting that the THAAD can be brought into Korea only at the sacrifice of the Korea-China relations. Both have different stances over the six-party talks as well, decreasing the number of options Seoul can choose from.
The Korean government is in no position to take sides. Accepting the demand of the U.S., which is the greatest ally, could result in opposition from the number one export destination larger than the U.S. and Japan combined.
“We are planning to deploy THADD in Korea and I myself made a personal request for it, too,” said Curtis M. Scaparrotti, Commander in Chief of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. The plan is taking more and more concrete shape over time.
China is dead set against this scheme. “The deployment of the missile defense system in the Korean peninsula is by no means beneficial to the regional stability and strategic balance,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang declared. The Xinhua News Agency echoed by saying, “The THAAD in Korea will sacrifice the Sino-Korean relations.”
South Korea is in a catch-22 situation when it comes to the six-party talks issue, too. Recently, American and South Korean officials reconfirmed their stance in Washington D.C. that the six-party talks cannot be resumed without efforts of the North, which is contrary to that of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Beijing expressed its regret over the Washington-centered diplomatic policy of the South. This could affect the upcoming state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Korea.