The South korean defense minister stresses the deployment of the US anti-ballistic missile system THAAD is aimed at protecting it from North Korea’s missiles
South Korea will intercept Russian and Chinese missiles if these countries attempt to deliver a strike on the US anti-ballistic missile system THAAD due to be deployed in the country next year, Defense Minister Han Min-goo told Yonhap news agency on Wednesday.
"If missiles of China or Russia are fired at us, then of course we will shoot them down," Han said, noting that the interception will be carried out by the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
The minister reminded that the deployment of this system in South Korea is aimed at protecting it from North Korea’s missiles and is not threatening the security of other countries.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry earlier said that the deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea may escalate tensions in the region and create difficulties for solving the problems on the Korean Peninsula.
The ministry stressed that Russia had warned of dangerous outcome of such a decision. "Moscow considers this step as leading to buildup of potential of the Asia Pacific segment of the US missile shield and undermining the existing strategic balances in the Asia Pacific region and beyond it," the ministry said.
Beijing has also said that the actions of Washington and Seoul on the THAAD deployment could seriously affect China’s strategic securit
