South Korea's defense ministry on Wednesday confirmed local media reports that part of the elements of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system were deployed to a site in southeast South Korea.
The ministry said in a statement that South Korea and the United States have made efforts to rapidly secure an operational capability of the THAAD system in preparation for what it called the nuclear and missile threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
It said this move was aimed to initially secure the THAAD's operational capability by installing part of the THAAD elements at the site.
The partial deployment came without any separate construction of facilities inside the site, said the statement.
It confirmed earlier local media reports that part of the THAAD battery was transported by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to a golf course at Soseong-ri village in Seongju county, South Gyeongsang province.
How large part of the U.S. missile shield was transported to the golf course has yet to be known exactly.
A THAAD battery is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, an AN/TPY-2 radar and the fire & control unit.
The statement said the South Korean military plans to secure a full operational capability of the THAAD system by the end of this year, while normally proceeding with the remaining procedures such as the construction and the environmental assessment of the THAAD site.
