Contentious US-Korea missile defense system delayed

[nitpicker]

http://www.dw.com/en/contentious-us-korea-missile-defense-system-delayed/a-37142121

Contentious US-Korea missile defense system delayed

The deployment of a controversial US missile defense system in South Korea designed to protect against North Korean aggression could be delayed, Seoul's defense ministry said on Monday. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was due to be built on a golf course owned by the Lotte Group conglomerate in the Seongju region, southeast of South Korea's capital Seoul.

"The plan to go ahead with the exchange will be signed by mid-January, but there is a possibility it will be slightly delayed," South Korean ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said. He said they were waiting on a meeting with Lotte directors to settle land use fees.

South Korea and the US had said the THAAD deployment was to protect against North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities. But China strongly objected, saying its powerful radar could penetrate Chinese territory. This led to some South Korea opposition leaders to call for its delay or cancellation. They argued that the security benefits would be outweighed by worsened relations with China and Russia.
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Local landowners also protested against its use saying it would destroy melon crops and make the area a target for North Korea.
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