U.S. Officials: The Deployment Of An Anti-Missile Defense System To South Korea Will Be Announced Soon

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. REUTERS/U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

Reuters: U.S. expects announcement 'soon' on deployment of Korea anti-missile system

Plans for the deployment of the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea are moving forward and an announcement can be expected soon, senior U.S. officials said on Thursday.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters en route to a regional security meeting in Singapore, at which he will meet his South Korean counterpart, that recent North Korean missile tests showed the need for improved missile defenses, even though the test had been failures.

"There have been five consecutive failures there, but...most of the world continues to be concerned about North Korean missile activity," Carter said after what U.S. and South Korean officials say was the latest failed test of a North Korean intermediate range Musudan missile on Tuesday.

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Update #1: US Won’t Back Off On Korean Missile Defense, South China Sea: SecDef (Breaking Defense).
Update #2: Carter expects to discuss THAAD with S. Korean defense chief (Yonhap News Agency).

WNU Editor: It sounds like this deployment is a "done deal". The next question that will need to be answered is .... how will China and Russia respond.