THAAD delivered to South Korea

According to the us military, the first part of the American missile defense system, designed to reduce the threat of North Korean missiles, arrived at Osana air base in South Korea on Monday evening.

The announcement came just a day after North Korea tested four ballistic missiles into the sea of Japan. China was opposed to the proposed placing military equipment, known as the defense system of the Territory of a mountain zone (THAAD), which he sees as a threat to its security.

Last year when North Korea has increased the number of missile and nuclear tests, the US and South Korea have publicly stressed the need to accelerate the deployment of this technology. According to experts, it is designed for shooting down incoming missiles that threaten the civilian population.

"Continued provocative actions of North Korea, including yesterday's launch of several missiles, only proves the prudence of the decision of the Alliance in the past year about the deployment of THAAD in South Korea," said Admiral Harry Harris, the commander of the Pacific command of the United States in a press release.

The decision to deploy THAAD in South Korea was adopted in July last year, and the administration of U.S. President Donald trump said that it intends to continue. The Minister of defence of the USA James Mattis and the Minister of defense of South Korea Han Min-Koo said on the phone last week and agreed that THAAD should be deployed "as soon as possible".

China has long opposed the deployment of the defense system so close to its own borders. On Monday, foreign Ministry spokesman China Geng Shuang said that the deployment "violates the strategic balance of the region." It was reported that the discontent of China felt South Korean companies, in particular, Lotte, the South Korean conglomerate, signed an agreement to exchange land with the government to provide a site for the launch of the THAAD system at the end of February.

In furious comments published by the official news Agency of China, Xinhua said that the Council Lotte "hurt Chinese people" and "the consequences can be serious", if this will continue.

The South Korean government last week said that Chinese authorities have informed travel agencies in Beijing to stop selling trips to South Korea, intensifying fears of a trade war between the neighbors. However, the Chinese government denied the existence of any information about this order. If Beijing decides to retaliate through trade, it can make a significant contribution. China is the largest trading partner of South Korea, the latter's exports to the country to $142 billion a year. According to the Korea tourism organization, nearly half of the 17 million people who visited South Korea last year were Chinese.

The system is not a panacea, which completely protect the U.S. and its allies from North Korean missile threats. In the words of U.S. troops in Korea, is "aimed solely at protecting South Korea from North Korea missiles".

sections: Politics, Accidents