By DON NISSENBAUM And JULIAN E. BARNES
WASHINGTON—The Pentagon is preparing to strengthen its missile defense systems on the West Coast in response to increased threats from North Korea and rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Friday said the U.S. plans to boost its missile defense system due to concerns about the possible nuclear capabilities of North Korea.
The U.S. plans to boost its ground-based missile interceptors in Alaska and California by one-third, adding 14 additional systems to the 30 already in place on the West Coast, a senior defense official said Friday. Interceptors are vehicles that are launched to intercept intercontinental missiles in flight.
The expansion in the system was due to be announced by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at a news conference Friday.
The decision comes as North Korea has issued a series of threats to attack the U.S. and South Korea over new international sanctions and joint military exercises in the region.
Earlier this month, North Korea threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the U.S. and South Korea. While American officials don't believe North Korea is capable of launching a long-range attack, the threat is seen as a concerning sign of the nation's state of mind.
Pentagon officials signaled the possible expansion days earlier. "North Korea's shrill public pronouncements underscore the need for the U.S. to continue to take prudent steps to defeat any future North Korean ICBM," James Miller, undersecretary of defense for policy, said in a speech last week at the Atlantic Council.
The administration decision comes four years after President Barack Obama put a hold on the deployment plan soon after he took office. Republican lawmakers said Friday they agreed with the enhancement, but said the administration was wrong to freeze the system in 2009.
"Four years ago, the Obama administration began to unilaterally disarm our defenses and deterrent in the hope our enemies would follow suit," said Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
"President Obama is finally realizing what President Reagan taught us 30 years ago: The best way to keep the peace is through strength," Mr. Rogers said.
Pentagon officials responded to the criticism, saying the danger from North Korean has evolved over the past four years.
"We use the resources to the best of our ability to prepare for threats that exist currently," said the senior defense official. "Look where North Korea was four years ago compared to where North Korea is today. It is a different threat."
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