Pyongyang’s missile launch on Sunday will accelerate the roll-out of a US-backed missile defence system in South Korea, disrupting China’s plan to persuade Seoul to delay the deployment, observers said on Monday….
Pyongyang’s missile launch on Sunday will accelerate the roll-out of a US-backed missile defence system in South Korea, disrupting China’s plan to persuade Seoul to delay the deployment, observers said on Monday. North Korea successfully test-fired a new type of medium- to long-range ballistic missile, which flew about 500km before falling into the Sea of Japan. In response, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing opposed North Korean missile tests that ran contrary to United Nations resolutions. “All parties should keep restraint and safeguard regional peace and stability together,” ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said. Threats from North Korea prompted Seoul to agree last year to deploy the US’ Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system. The system is a combination of a sophisticated radar and interceptor missiles designed to spot and knock out incoming ballistic missiles, but Beijing sees it as a threat on its doorstep. Beijing was furious at the decision by South Korean President Park Geun-hye and rebuffed Seoul’s attempts to discuss the issue.
