By Kim Hyo-jin



Korea's presidential candidates voiced their opposition, Friday, to U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Seoul to pay for a missile defense system being deployed here.



They agreed that according to a previous agreement, the United States is supposed to pay the cost of installation and operation.



The leading presidential hopefuls were engaged in a fifth televised debate a few hours after President Trump's comment that he wanted Seoul to pay $1 billion for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, caused a stir on the political scene.



Sim Sang-jung of the progressive Justice Party opened her remarks with a question to the top contender Moon Jae-in of the largest liberal Democratic Party of Korea on how he would respond to the request.



In response, Moon reaffirmed his original position that the THAAD deployment should be handed over to the next administration to seek parliamentary approval.



"Now that THAAD is giving us a tremendous fiscal burden, amounting to 1.1 trillion won, it is a matter that needs the National Assembly's ratification," he said.



Sim criticized the former President Park Geun-hye administration for pushing ahead with the deployment in the first place, saying it was courting U.S. interests.



She took it further saying: "The anti-missile system should be withdrawn and we have to firmly ask this of the U.S." Moon, however, remained silent on whether he agreed to the call for a withdrawal.



Meanwhile, Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party dismissed Trump's remark as a "mere bluff," opposing Moon's argument that parliamentary approval was necessary.



"The deal has been done already so we don't need to pay the cost. I can persuade the U.S. on this," he said.

Yoo said the two countries should abide by the original contract, which was confirmed by the Ministry of National Defense earlier in the day.



The ministry said there has been no change in the basic position that the government would provide a site for the THAAD battery and related facilities under the Status of Forces Agreement, and the U.S. would shoulder the burden for installation and operation.



Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party echoed the same view, saying, "We don't have to pay for it. We just stick to the original conditions of the deal."



"Rather, the Korea-U.S. trade deal is of more concern. The next head of state's priority should be to bring up and negotiate all contentious bilateral issues through a Korea-U.S. summit."



The five-way debate was probably the last defining moment in the build-up to the May 9 presidential election.



This was the last debate for which the public's response can be reflected in opinion polls. Though the final debate is slated for May 2, it could have a limited impact given the announcement of survey results will be banned from May 3.



Moon has emerged as the potential victor following the series of debates, while his closest rival Ahn has tumbled in popularity. Ahn's support fell sharply from the mid-30 percent range to a low of around 20 percent, trailing Moon who has reached 40 percent plus, over the past two weeks.



Conservative voters, who have been left bewildered following the removal from office of former President Park, are flocking back to Hong Joon-pyo of the far-right Liberty Korea Party, dealing a blow to Ahn, according to analysts.



