SEOUL: In a surprise move, South Korea and the United States began deploying the highly controversial anti-missile system here, just hours after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles that it said were aimed at US bases in Japan. They are the first batch of the missile defense system designed to enhance the allies’ capabilities in countering North Korea’s growing missile threats. “Continued provocative actions by North Korea, to include yesterday’s launch of multiple missiles, only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision last year to deploy THAAD to South Korea,” US Pacific Commander Adm. Harry Harris said in a statement. “South Korea and the US will bear the consequences. Seoul‘s defense and ministries said they did not notify China of the development in advance, highlighting that it was “solely” for the defense of South Korea against the North‘s threats.

Source: The Star March 07, 2017 14:02 UTC