The United States has begun the process to deploy an advanced missile defense system known as THAAD to South Korea to better counter growing threats by North Korea, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
South Korea and the U.S. have made efforts to carry out their decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. Parts of the anti-missile system arrived Monday at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, a ministry official said.
"U.S. Pacific Command deployed the first elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Republic of Korea, March 6, implementing the U.S.-ROK Alliances July 2016 decision to bring the defense capability to the peninsula," PACOM said in a statement.
The initial move to install a THAAD battery began Monday, the same day when North Korea fired off four ballistic missiles in protest against the ongoing military drills between Seoul and Washington. (Yonhap)