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REUTERS
BEIJING
China reiterated its opposition on Thursday to the U.S. deployment of an anti-missile system in South Korea, after Seoul said it would hold off on installing remaining components until it completes an assessment of the system's environmental impact.
The move could mean substantial delays in a full deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea, as the environmental review may take well over a year, according to a senior official at the presidential Blue House.
During his successful election campaign, President Moon Jae-in had pledged to review the previous South Korean government's decision to deploy THAAD, saying that the deployment was rushed without assessing its environmental impact or seeking parliamentary approval.
On Wednesday, Moon's office said installation of four additional launchers would be halted until an assessment of the system's impact on the environment was completed.
China, along with Russia, has repeatedly expressed opposition to the THAAD deployment, saying it will do nothing to help ease tensions with North Korea.
Beijing also fears THAAD's powerful radar system can look deep into China, threatening its own security.
Speaking at a daily news briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying reiterated that China's opposition to the deployment of THAAD was clear and consistent.
