US, South Korea to Start Talks on Possible THAAD Deployment on Friday

South Korea and the United States have formed a joint working group that will start discussing the US-proposed deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea on Friday, the South Korean Defense Ministry said.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – In February, the US Department of Defense said it planned to begin talks with Seoul on deploying a THAAD battery to South Korea to defend the area against the threat of North Korean missiles.

"The THAAD system to be operated by USFK [United States Forces Korea] will contribute to the defense of South Korea from North Korea's increasing nuclear and missile threats," the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by the South Korean Yonhap news agency of Friday.

On Friday, Yonhap reported citing a military source that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended the test-firing of a new multiple rocket launcher, ordering the country’s nuclear weapons to be made ready for use at any moment.

On Thursday, North Korea reportedly launched multiple short-range missiles in the direction of the East Sea (Sea of Japan). In January, Pyongyang reported a successful hydrogen bomb test. A month later it launched a long-range rocket to allegedly place a satellite into orbit.

Reports of a possible THAAD deployment to South Korea amid Pyongyang’s activities have circulated over recent months, and have been met with harsh criticism from Beijing, which alleges the system threatens China.