MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Criticism of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system deployment in South Korea voiced in Chinese media is 'unreasonable', South Korea's presidential office said Sunday.
In a statement, issued by the office and quoted by the Yonhap news agency, Seoul calls on Beijing to focus on the nuclear and missile threat emanating from North Korea, rather than criticize the "planned installation" of the system in the country.
In July, South Korea and the United States announced that they had agreed to deploy the system in the South Korean Seongju County amid increased tensions on the peninsula over North Korea's nuclear and missile program.
The THAAD system is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage. The system's deployment to Seoul has caused concerns in North Korea, as well as China and Russia.