South Korea grapples with ‘clear reality’ of US forces’ shifting role on peninsula

South Korea grapples with ‘clear reality’ of US forces’ shifting role on peninsulaPresident Lee Jae Myung urges South Korea to boost its own defence amid reports of US military assets being redeployed to the Middle East4-MIN READ4-MIN6 ListenPublished: 8:00am, 11 Mar 2026Updated: 8:48am, 11 Mar 2026South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has bluntly said that Seoul cannot prevent the United States from redeploying military assets from the peninsula, raising concerns about the shifting role of American forces stationed in the country.Analysts say the episode exposes a stark reality for Seoul: US Forces Korea (USFK) are increasingly being used for missions beyond deterring North Korea as Washington pushes for greater “strategic flexibility” for its troops overseas.Lee made the remarks after reports that the US was moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system from South Korea to the Middle East amid the ongoing regional crisis.Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said the reported redeployment of US air defence systems had drawn significant public attention.“We have expressed opposition to the relocation of some air defence batteries by the US forces here for their own military needs,” Lee said.“But it is also a clear reality that we cannot fully enforce our position in such matters.”Select VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x