Lotte Group Delays Acquisition of THAAD Deployment Site in South Korea

Sputnik News

12:11 16.01.2017

The acquisition of a site for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) by the South Korean military from the Lotte Group has been delayed due to administrative proceedings, a Lotte Group official said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The THAAD system is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage.

"We've not yet fixed any schedule related to that. The procedures may be delayed to after the Lunar New Year holiday, as it is such an important national issue, and we also have to take into consideration South Korea's relations with the United States and China and the current political situation of an impeached president," an official was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency.

In July 2016, Seoul and Washington agreed to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea's Seongju County amid growing tensions in the region spurred by North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests.

The move has been criticized by neighboring China and Russia as inappropriate, possibly disproportionate and affecting other countries' interests.

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