The U.S. State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Frank Rose will visit South Korea next Thursday to discuss a range of “strategic issues” including space security, the department said in a press release.

His visit here is drawing keen attention due to the possibility of him mentioning Washington’s potential deployment of an advanced missile defense asset, the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, to Korea. In May, Rose told a seminar that the U.S. was considering the permanent stationing of a THAAD unit on the peninsula.

His visit to Korea is part of his four-nation tour to Asia that includes China, Vietnam and Japan. From July 6-9, he will visit Beijing to discuss “mutual strategic interests” including multilateral arms control. From July 14-16, he will visit Tokyo to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)