ACCESSION NUMBER:333824
FILE ID:TXT204
DATE:03/22/94
TITLE:PATRIOT MISSILE DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTH KOREA CALLED NECESSARY (03/22/94)
TEXT:*94032204.TXT
PATRIOT MISSILE DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTH KOREA CALLED NECESSARY

(Clinton says move "purely defensive," with DOD text) (530)
Washington -- President Clinton has approved deployment of a battalion of
Patriot surface-to-air missiles to South Korea, which the Defense
Department (DOD) says is "deemed necessary" for defensive purposes.

The department, in a statement issued March 21, said that because the North
Korean military possesses Scud missiles, "the field commander charged with
coordinating the combined ROK (Republic of Korea) - U.S. defense of South
Korea has asked for deployment of Patriot to deter the threat of this
offensive weapons system."

Clinton, speaking to reporters in Florida March 21, reiterated that the
Patriot decision "is purely defensive in nature."  He said that "what
happens now is still in the court of the North Koreans, and we must hope
that they will do the right thing."

Pointing out that there will be U.N. consultations following the censuring
of North Korea by the International Atomic Energy Agency's governing board
for its refusal to allow full access to IAEA weapons inspectors, the
president said, "As to the next issues, I think we have to just wait and
see what will happen."

Secretary of State Christopher, testifying March 22 before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. "commitment to South Korea's
security remains firm."

The Patriot missile deployment, he said, is a "prudent and defensive
response to the threat posed by North Korea's ballistic missiles....We are
prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure that North Korea does not
misread our determination to deter aggression."

He said the United States is now talking with South Korea on rescheduling
Team Spirit '94, the joint military exercises with the United States.

South Korea and the United States had offered to suspend the exercises on
the premise that the North would fully implement the IAEA inspections and
exchange envoys with the South to discuss nuclear issues.  "These steps (by
the North) have not been taken," he said.

1ollowing is the text of the Defense Department statement:
(begin text)
The president has approved the deployment of a battalion of Patriot Surface
to Air missiles to the Republic of Korea.  The deployment, authorized
today, is in response to a request from Combined Forces Commander and is
deemed necessary for the defense of South Korea and our forces there.

The Patriot missiles and associated support equipment are a purely defensive
weapon system capable of countering both conventional aircraft and theater
ballistic missiles.  The North Korean military has a theater ballistic
missile capability in the form of the Scud missile.  Based on the existence
of this system, the field commander charged with coordinating the combined
ROK-U.S. defense of South Korea has asked for deployment of Patriot to
deter the threat of this offensive weapons system.

The deploying battalion is stationed at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas.  Its
equipment will move by surface transport to Korea.  A nominal Patriot
battalion has three to six batteries with eight launchers each.  (Each
launcher carries four missiles.)  Depending on the number of batteries,
there are between 650 and 800 soldiers assigned.  The exact number of
weapons involved in this deployment is classified.

(end text)
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