South Korea has announced where the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system will be deployed. THAAD, will be sent to Seongju county about 200 kilometres southeast of the capital, Seoul. The US and South Korea say it is being used to defend against the nuclear threat from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The move has prompted objections from Russia and China, who have accused Washington of military posturing in the region. South Korea's decision has also met with the threat of retaliation from the DPRK. South Korea's defense ministry said the deployment will be completed by the end of next year and will cover up to two thirds of the country. The system is also expected to offer protection to key industrial facilities, including nuclear power plants and oil depots.