Should South Korea take a step toward enhancing its own defenses against a (potentially nuclear armed) North Korean ballistic missile program, even if that means alienating its neighbors?

For more than a year this has been Seoul’s dilemma regarding the U.S.-developed THAAD missile defense system. Various parties – including different elements with South Korea and foreign powers – have voiced their concerns and taken varying positions regarding a possible THAAD deployment.

With the THAAD issue, South Korea has to consider the costs and benefits of using THAAD versus a potential indigenous system and decide whether its military necessity outweighs the concerns of