THAAD Air Defense System Deployment in S Korea Not Against China, Russia

TOKYO (Sputnik) — The US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to be deployed in South Korea will not be directed against any third country, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se said on Monday.

On Friday, South Korea and the United States announced they agreed to deploy the THAAD system with the US military stationed in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threat. The THAAD system is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage. Governments of Russia and China protested the decision, stating that the agreement to deploy the THAAD system will have a highly negative impact on global strategic stability.

Announced plans to deploy the THAAD missile defense system last week "are not directed against China, Russia or other third countries," Yun Byung-Se noted in his speech to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and unification. "In particular, with regard to China and Russia… we stressed that we are basing [our decision] on the right to defend ourselves from North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles which are daily increasing in number."

According to Yun, the government in Seoul will continue to advocate the necessity to deploy THAAD.

On Sunday, local media reported that several thousands people continued the protests against the THAAD deployment in South Korea which started on Saturday.

On Monday, North Korea threatened with "physical action" in response to the US missile defense system deployment in South Korea.