MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Chinese officials also forced the regional TV broadcasters suspend the airing of South Korean TV shows and programs, as well as prohibited the appearance of Korean stars on Chinese TV shows, the Yonhap news agency said, citing an official in the industry.
According to the media, the move comes as a part of China's policy of opposing South Korea’s decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the country.
South Korean TV programs are very popular in China, with some of the dramas being viewed via online streaming services more than four billion times. Therefore, China's decision is feared to strike a serious blow to the Korean industry, Yonhap explained, citing its source.
18 February 2017, 11:41 GMT
The THAAD system has a range of some 200 kilometers (125 miles) and is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage. The agreement on THAAD between South Korea and the United States was reached in July 2016, with the move being criticized by China and Russia as inappropriate and affecting other countries' interests.
Earlier on Sunday, media reported that South Korea is expecting to station the THAAD system as early as in June.
