James Mattis arrives in South Korea, Japan to soothe fears over Trump`s foreign policy

by Dramelin 3:16 AM 0 comments

North Korea, a common thorn in the sides of Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo, will also feature prominently in Mattis` talks. "The message of this trip is reassurance; reassurance that the Trump administration recognizes the importance of alliances with South Korea and Japan as well as the seriousness of the security situation there," explained Kathleen Stephens, American ambassador to South Korea from 2008-2011. In July, then South Korean President Park Geun-hye agreed to host a American defense technology system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. That same day, Mattis` predecessor Ash Carter warned Washington would shoot down any missile aimed at it or an ally. But the current political turmoil in Seoul could endanger THAAD implementation.