North Korea blasted the United States Sunday for stepping up efforts to deploy its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to South Korea.
Washington has been pushing to put a THAAD unit in South Korea to deter North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats.
However, the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North Korean Workers’ Party, called it a “foolish attempt” to pressure Russia and China, countries fearing any increase of U.S military power in the Asia-Pacific region, by taking strategic superiority against them.
“It is clear that no country in the world would merely look on the ambitious U.S. attempt to build a missile defense system,” the newspaper said, warning that any deployment would further imperil the peace and security of the world.
North Korea’s fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 rekindled talks of more missile defense, including a THAAD deployment to South Korea.
President Park Geun-hye said earlier this month that she would consider the issue in accordance with national interests.
Seoul’s Defense Ministry also said last week that the THAAD will be helpful in defense against the North, a remark seen as a step forward, compared with previous statements that focused on the denial of any discussions between the two countries on the issue.
About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, not in a peace treaty. (Yonhap)
