If missiles and launchers are being moved that would still mean the system in Korea is combat effective; it would just have a smaller inventory. However, if its radar or C2 systems are being moved then it would be combat ineffective:

The United States has been moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system from South Korea to the Middle East, the Washington Post reported, citing two officials.

The reported movement of parts of a THAAD missile defense system comes amid media reports that the U.S. military stationed in South Korea has shipped out some of its military assets amid an intensifying war in the Middle East. 

“The Pentagon is moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East,” the report said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This shouldn’t be terribly surprising that the ROK President was against the deployment of USFK assets to assist with the war against Iran:

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that a potential relocation of military assets owned by the U.S. military stationed in South Korea will not affect the deterrence posture against North Korea. 

Citing media reports that the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) might have recently shipped out some weapons, including an anti-missile defense system, Lee told a Cabinet meeting, “If you ask if our deterrence strategy against North Korea is severely affected (because of a possible shift of such assets), I can say absolutely not.” 

The remarks by Lee did not explicitly comment on the possible movement or repositioning of USFK’s military assets. 

However, South Korea has expressed its opposition against USFK’s possible shift of its military assets, but it is a “stark reality” that South Korea’s opinions would not be fully accepted, Lee said. 

“Our government expects the USFK to fully contribute to stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula, which I believe it has done so far,” Lee said.

“Depending on how the situation unfolds, however, the USFK may dispatch some air defense systems abroad in accordance with its own military needs. While we have expressed opposition, the reality is that we cannot fully push through our position.”

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Despite war in the Middle East, USFK is executing Freedom Shield as scheduled:

South Korea and the United States kicked off a key annual joint springtime military exercise Monday, with the number of planned field training drills cut in half compared with last year.

The allies launched the Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, which will run through March 19, aimed at strengthening their combined defense posture. 

This year’s FS exercise will be focused on assessing conditions to achieve the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul. 

South Korea has been seeking to achieve the “conditions-based” handover of wartime command from the U.S. within President Lee Jae Myung’s five-year term that ends in 2030.

Some 18,000 troops are expected to take part in the drills, a scale similar to the previous year, where they will engage in realistic wartime scenarios reflecting aspects of modern warfare.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It will be interesting to see if the government is going to reimburse these petrol stations if they are forced to sell gasoline at price that is not profitable for them:

Kim Yong-beom (L), the presidential chief of staff for policy, explains the outcome of President Lee Jae Myung’s meeting on the Middle East during a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on March 9, 2026. (Yonhap)

The government plans to take steps to implement a capping system on local fuel prices this week, a senior presidential adviser said Monday, shortly after President Lee Jae Myung called for a swift launch of the system to contain a jump in gas prices as the U.S.-led war with Iran has intensified in the Middle East. 

Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, told reporters that specific measures were discussed at a meeting with relevant mininstries to “implement the price cap system to prevent abnormal pricing of petroleum products and improve price predictability.”

If implemented, it would mark the first time since 1997 that South Korea has enforced the system, using a provision in the Petroleum Business Act that allows the industry minister to designate a maximum sales price when oil prices fluctuate sharply and threaten economic stability.

Earlier in the day, Lee told an interministerial meeting that a swift implementation of fuel price cap is needed as the price of Brent oil to surge through US$100 per barrel.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I think the more these people complain about the rising sun flag, the more likely Japanese fans are to bring them to games hosted in Japan:

The appearance of the Rising Sun flag during a World Baseball Classic (WBC) game between Korea and Japan has sparked criticism after Japanese spectators were seen displaying the controversial symbol at Tokyo Dome. 

The flag, widely associated with the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy, is viewed by many throughout Asia as a symbol of the country’s militaristic colonial past, including its 35-year rule over Korea.

The incident occurred during the 2026 WBC match played Saturday.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

For the Iranians in South Korea this should be good news for them:

Korea will allow Iranians to remain here beyond their visa limits on humanitarian grounds, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran intensifies in the Middle East.

In response to inquiries from The Korea Times regarding Iranian nationals in Korea, the Ministry of Justice said those whose visas cannot be extended under ordinary rules will be permitted to stay until war-related risks are deemed to have subsided enough to allow safe travel.

As of January, 2,133 Iranian nationals were residing legally in Korea.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.