SEOUL — South Korea and the United States announced Friday that they had decided to deploy an advanced US missile defense system in the South, despite strong protests from China, which sees it as a threat to its own security.

The two allies agreed to the deployment of the so-called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to better protect South Korea and the US military in the region from North Korea’s growing nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, said Ryu Jae- seung, a senior Defense Ministry official.

Seoul and Washington have been in talks for months about implementing the system.

China’s foreign ministry promptly denounced the plan, saying the system would harm China’s security and would not contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula, Reuters reported.

North Korea had no immediate comment on the announcement.

NEW YORK TIMES