Korea Herald:
The advanced U.S. missile defense system THAAD is believed to be capable of intercepting North Korea’s intermediate-range ballistic missiles if it is deployed in South Korea, Seoul’s defense chief said Friday.
North Korea claimed Thursday that it has succeeded in test-firing its mid-range missile, boasting of its capacity to hit U.S. forces in the Pacific region. “The deployment of THAAD will help South Korea’s move to counter (the North’s missile threats),” Defense Minister Han Min-koo told reporters.
The minister said that more information is needed to check THAAD’s capability to intercept the North’s mid-range missiles, but generally, the system is believed to be up to the task.
Seoul and Washington have been discussing the potential deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea, where about 28,500 American troops are stationed.
The allies’ move is aimed at countering the North’s evolving missile threats amid concerns about the technical progress of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
