South Korean military sources say... Seoul and Washington will likely discuss next month... the controversial issue of the THAAD missile defense system's deployment to South Korea.
Our Kim Hyun-bin explains what's at stake.
The U.S. missile defense system known as THAAD is built to intercept incoming tactical and ballistic missiles at a range of up to 200 kilometers.
The system uses kinetic energy with a hit to kill method that in turn creates an upper tier defense shield.
It's also equipped with a sophisticated radar system that has a range of up to two thousand kilometers.
This is widely considered to be the reason why Beijing is so strongly against its potential deployment to the Korean peninsula as the radar would be able to cover Beijing and its surrounding areas.
The U.S. says THAAD will enhance South Korea's ability to deal with Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile threats as well as enhancing surveillance on the communist regime.
But critics see the possible deployment as Washington's attempt to reel its Asian ally into its missile defense program.
South Korea has acknowledged the battery would enhance its national security, but says it has no plans to buy the multi-billion dollar system.
Military sources say the issue will likely be addressed at the South Korea-U.S. bi-annual Integrated Defense Dialogue set for mid-April in Washington.
The sources add that South Korea's Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy, Ryu Je-seung and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, David Helvey will represent the two sides at next month's meeting.
South Korea has stressed on numerous occasions that it's developing it own low-tier missile defense system to protect the country against the North's missile threats.
The so-called Korea Air and Missile Defense and Kill Chain systems are set to be implemented by 2023.
Kim Hyun-bin, Arirang News.