US, S. Korea reaffirm Thaad deployment plan

US Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday arrived in South Korea on a two-day visit and reaffirmed the allies would push ahead with the plan to deploy an advanced American missile defence system to the Korean Peninsula to counter growing military threats from North Korea.

After landing at the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, Mattis headed to the US Forces Korea (USFK) headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, according to the Defence Ministry.

He was briefed by US Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, Yonhap news agency reported.

Mattis then met Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin and attended a dinner hosted by Defence Minister Han Min-koo.

During their talks, Kim and Mattis reiterated that the allies will strongly respond to Pyongyang's future provocations based on their "watertight" security cooperation, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.

The allies' reaffirmation of their resolve to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system (Thaad) came amid continued opposition from China, Russia and some local politicians. Beijing and Moscow have argued that the system could undermine their security interests.

Mattis also stressed on the US's commitment to the defence of South Korea, which includes the use of extended deterrence, and Washington's pledge to mobilise all of its military capabilities, both nuclear and conventional.

The Pentagon chief also said that the Trump administration will deal with North Korea's nuclear threats as a "top priority" security issue.

Mattis is also scheduled to visit Japan later this week.

--IANS

soni/vt