Washington and Seoul agreed to install a U.S. anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea, to improve defence capabilities against North Korea, Seoul officials said on Friday.
“Talks over the plan to install a unit of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the peninsula started after the North’s long-range missile test in February,’’ a media report said.
The decision was part of a defensive action to guarantee the security of the Republic of Korea.
“And that of our people from North Korea’s nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile threats.
“Deployment would be as soon as possible,’’ the Defence Ministry was quoted as saying, using the formal name for the South.
China expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the plan, saying it would make no contribution to realise the goal of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
“Deploying THAAD in South Korea would rather seriously harm the strategic and security interests and regional strategic balance for those regional countries, including China,’’ it said.
Seoul said the missile system was only aimed at defence against North Korea.
THAAD has been deployed around the U.S. mainland since 2008.