US Sending Patriot Missile Battery to South Korea

Local Editor

The United States had deployed an additional Patriot missile battery in South Korea, in response to North Korea's recent nuclear test and the launch of a long-range rocket into space, The Japan Times reports.

An air defense battery unit from Texas has been conducting ballistic missile training using the Patriot system at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, the newspaper said on Saturday citing the US military command.

On Friday, US Secretary of State John Kerry and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se agreed to continue to work together on reaching a vigorous international response to North Korea's recent violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

Last weekend, North Korea fired a long-range rocket to allegedly put a satellite into orbit, holding a rocket almost identical to ones used by Pyongyang to launch nuclear weapons. A UN Security Council resolution however, prohibits North Korea from firing rockets that could be used as ballistic missiles.

Following the launch, the Pentagon said that Seoul and Washington would begin talks on the deployment of THAAD [Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense] anti-ballistic missile system to South Korea amid Pyongyang's recent nuclear activities.

In January, Pyongyang declared that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, triggering condemnation from the international community.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team