The Defense Department and South Korea have begun talks to consider potential deployment of a U.S.-made anti-ballistic missile system as part of security efforts on the Korean peninsula, Yonhap News reported Wednesday.
Chang Jae-soon writes Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told House Armed Services Committee members during a hearing Tuesday that DoD and South Korea will evaluate the feasibility of implementing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense platform in the region.
“I should say the reason for that is to be able to protect the entirety of the peninsula against North Korean missiles of greater range,” Carter said to the committee.
THAAD, designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin, works to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missile threats.
According to Reuters, China is concerned that the missile defense system’s radar could target the country.
The report said Rose Gottemoeller, the State Department‘s undersecretary for arms control and international security, said the U.S. seeks to engage in a meeting with the Chinese government to address China’s concerns about the planned THAAD deployment in South Korea.
