S Korea, US to deploy THAAD missile defence

SEOUL: South Korea and the United States said on Friday they would deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea to counter a threat from North Korea, drawing a sharp and swift protest from neighbouring China.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, anti-missile system will be used only as protection against North Korea´s growing nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, the South´s Defence Ministry and the US Defence Department said in a joint statement.

"This is an important decision," General Vincent Brooks, commander of US forces in South Korea, said in a statement.

"North Korea´s continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction require the alliance to take this prudent, protective measure to bolster our missile defense."

Beijing said on Friday it lodged complaints with the US and South Korean ambassadors over the THAAD decision.

China said the system would destabilise the security balance in the region without achieving anything to end the North´s nuclear programme.

China is North Korea´s main ally but opposes its pursuit of nuclear weapons and backed the latest United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang in March.

"China strongly urges the United States and South Korea to stop the deployment process of the THAAD anti-missile system, not take any steps to complicate the regional situation and do nothing to harm China´s strategic security interests," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Selection of a site for the system could come "within weeks," and the allies were working to have it operational by the end of 2017, a South Korean Defence Ministry official said.