South Korea reaffirmed Thursday that it has not consulted with the United States on Washington's plan to deploy an advanced missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula.
  

The U.S. has expressed its desire to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery, an integral part of its Missile Defense system, in South Korea, citing evolving threats from North Korea. It is designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles at a higher altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method.
  

"Our stance is that the U.S. has not made a decision and has not made any official request for the THAAD deployment on the Korean Peninsula," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kwang-il told a regular press briefing. "No consultation (between Seoul and Washington) has been made, either."
  

He also stressed that key U.S. officials, including Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and the top U.S. envoy to Seoul, Mark Lippert, also officially confirmed the fact.
  

"To respond to North Korea's missiles threats, we will build our own Korea Air and Missile Defense suitable for the strategic circumstances of the Korean Peninsula," he said, adding that such a stance has been delivered to China through multiple channels.
  

A day earlier, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan raised the issue during talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo in Seoul and voiced concern.
  

China and Russia view the THAAD deployment in South Korea as a potential threat to their security. Critics also say it is part of a broader U.S. attempt to get Seoul to join its air shield system, which could spark tensions with the neighbors.
  

Refusing to take part in the U.S.-led air defense system, also joined by Japan, South Korea has been working on developing the KAMD, a low-tier, multiple-interception program. (Yonhap)