National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday said South Korean parties must overcome differences on the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in the country, adding the issue should not weigh on the unity of the political segment.

"Now is the moment to come up with a conclusion that overcomes ideologies and political tensions to minimize public division," Chung said.

South Korean parties have been divided over the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense in the southern part of the country, which the government claims is vital to improve its defense capabilities against North Korea's nuclear provocations.

While the conservative-ruling Saenuri Party has been supportive of the move, some opposition parties claim the deployment will hurt Seoul's ties with Beijing and Moscow, and thus must be scrapped.

The major opposition Minjoo Party of Korea remains neutral on the move, although some of its lawmakers are expressing discontent against the party leadership for not voicing objections.

The parliamentary speaker, however, did not express support nor opposition against the deployment of THAAD.

Six-term lawmaker Chung, originally from Minjoo, took the post earlier this year after Saenuri agreed to let Minjoo take the speaker's post.

"We need to come up with a long-term diplomatic and security strategy for the peace and stability of Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula," Chung added.

The speaker added the on-going dispute over THAAD resembles the situation in the early 1900s, when the country became the battleground of great powers.

"(The National Assembly) will continue to look straight into the grave situation of Northeast Asia and make active movements to come up with future-oriented diplomatic and security strategies," Chung added.  (Yonhap)