Korea calls in China envoy to Seoul over THAAD row

The foreign ministry called in the Chinese ambassador to South Korea on Thursday as diplomatic tensions grew over Seoul's plan to deploy an advanced US missile shield.

Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier in the day, according to officials.

Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong (Yonhap)

Ministry officials discussed China's recent retaliatory actions over the plan to deploy the Terminal-High Altitude Area Defense system, also known as THAAD, with the envoy, according to the officials.

Popular South Korean entertainers have virtually been banned from performing in China since late last year as the bilateral relations soured over the deployment plan, which China accused of compromising its regional security interest.

A week earlier, the Chinese government also rejected South Korean airlines' plan to operate chartered flights to China ahead of the busy Chinese New Year holiday season. (Yonhap)