(VOVworld) – The Republic of Korea and the US have decided to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the southern region of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, 296 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The THAAD system will be ready by the end of 2017 to respond to the threat of missile launches by North Korea. (nknews.org)

The placement of the THAAD system in Seongju will help to secure the safety of people living in two thirds of South Korea's territory and strengthen the defense of key state facilities like nuclear power plants and oil storage as well as the forces of the South Korea- US alliance, Korea’s Defense Ministry said. In selecting the final location, a joint working group considered military effectiveness and resident safety as top priorities and conducted comparative studies, on-site inspections and simulations. The THAAD system will be ready by the end of 2017 to respond to the threat of missile launches by North Korea.