Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Friday said South Korea will not be burdened with additional financial costs with the deployment of the U.S. advanced anti-ballistic missile system on its soil.
The remark came after Seoul and Washington announced the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea after five months of negotiations to better deal with North Korea's increasing nuclear and missile threats.
"As the deployment is covered by the defense cost-sharing agreement, there will be no extra cost except for providing the land," Han told opposition lawmakers, adding the system aims to provide better protection from Pyongyang's persistent provocations.
"The THAAD system will only be used against North Korea's nuclear missiles threats," Han emphasized, adding the missile shield will pose no threat to neighboring countries.
Related to the bilateral decision to deploy THAAD, South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party said it welcomed the move, pointing out the system will help improve the country's ability to protect itself.
"Considering the latest Musudan tests, the nuclear and missile threats have been escalating. The decision made by Seoul and Washington to deploy the THAAD system was necessary," the party said in a statement.
Last month, North Korea fired off what is believed to be two Musudan mid-range missiles from near the city of Wonsan on its eastern coast.
"We hope the government will also make special effort to root out any possible misunderstandings and tensions," it added.
Opposition parties, however, claimed that the deployment will intensify inter-Korea tension.
"We would like to express discontent with the decision not having gone through enough public discussion," the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea said.
Minjoo also claimed that the deployment will lead to economic losses as the issue will weigh down on the country's trade with China. The party, however, said that it does not object to the deployment of the missile defense system.
The minor People's Party said it strongly opposes the decision, also adding that South Korea has underestimated the objection from Beijing. It said the move can undermine its diplomatic relations with some neighboring countries and be detrimental to the economy. (Yonhap)