Full coverage: THAAD Deployment in South Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has slammed the United States for causing a nuclear arms build-up in the Asia Pacific. It said that the deployment of THAAD is an act of military movement, which damages regional peace.

The DPRK's KCNA news agency said that the planned deployment of THAAD proves that the "U.S. plans to re-align the situation in the Asia Pacific, positioning itself to have watch over China, Russia and the region."

Japan's Kyodo news agency has reported that plutonium production has resumed in the DPRK. Pyongyang says it is reprocessing spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as perceived threats from the United States remain. The DPRK's Atomic Energy Institute said it is producing highly enriched uranium necessary for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled".