Article body
Former U.S. President Donald Trump shared a column by Marc Thiessen on social media platform Truth Social on the 4th (local time). The column argues that South Korea should sell its mid-range air defense system, Cheongung-II, to Ukraine. Thiessen emphasized that even if Trump receives permission to produce Patriot missiles for Ukraine, there is an immediate need for interceptors, thus pressuring South Korea to sell its Cheongung-II.
Cheongung-II is a South Korean missile defense system developed to respond to aerial threats, including North Korean ballistic missiles, and is expected to be operational by 2024. Thiessen claims that Trump is dissatisfied with South Korea's refusal to support in the Strait of Hormuz and argues that by providing interceptors to Ukraine, South Korea could alleviate the burden on the U.S.
He also asserted that selling Cheongung-II aligns with South Korea's national interests and could serve as an opportunity for performance testing against North Korean missiles. While Thiessen mentioned legal restrictions preventing South Korea from selling weapons to a country at war, he cited the sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a justification for selling to Ukraine. Although Trump did not make specific comments when sharing the column, there may be an underlying intent to pressure South Korea.