South Korea, US formally decide to deploy THAAD missile defence

[SEOUL] South Korea said on Friday it has made a final decision together with the United States to deploy an advanced missile defense system with the US military stationed in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threat.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be deployed solely to counter the threat from the North, South Korea's defence ministry said in a statement, adding that it aims for a deployment "soon".

China, which has backed tough UN sanctions against the North after Pyongyang's nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch this year, has objected to the proposed THAAD deployment in the South as its radar can reach into its territory.

A joint South Korea-US working group is preparing to determine the best location for deploying THAAD, the South said.

REUTERS