(Ben Listerman/ Defense Department)The U.S. military began deploying an advanced defensive missile system to South Korea on Monday, a long-awaited move that was agreed upon with the government in Seoul last summer and follows a series of provocations by North Korea. The deployment comes despite protests from Chinese officials, who have said repeatedly over the last year that it is threat to Chinese security. Three of the missiles traveled about 600 miles over North Korea and the Sea of Japan before landing inside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone. U.S. military officials stress that it provides strictly defensive capabilities, but it also possesses powerful radar that Chinese officials are concerned will be used to observe Chinese airspace. The United States and South Korea began discussing the deployment of THAAD more than a year ago, and reached an agreement to do so in July.

Source: Washington Post March 07, 2017 02:57 UTC