North Korea claimed on Tuesday that South Korea has become "a primary target of strike" by neighboring countries with its decision to deploy a U.S. missile defense system.

In a commentary, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said South Korea will only turn itself into a victim as it presses ahead with the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD.

China has balked at the deployment, fearing that the system's powerful radar could hurt its strategic security interests. Beijing has undertaken apparently retaliatory measures against South Korean companies and goods, as its relations with Seoul have deteriorated.

The North said South Korea has only itself to blame.

"The South Korean puppet regime is pressing ahead with the deployment of THAAD despite the strong protest of the public at home and abroad," the KCNA's English commentary read. "South Korea, which turned into the frontline base and nuclear outpost for the U.S. in carrying out its strategy for dominating Asia-Pacific, has become a primary target of strike by the neighboring countries due to the THAAD deployment, whereby the South Korean people cannot but fall victim to it."

North Korea also noted that South Korea is "suffering a lot from the political and economic retaliatory steps taken by the neighboring countries, the levels of which are getting stronger day by day."

"The puppet regime is in a position to bear a fabulous amount of money for the deployment and operation of THAAD," the report continued. "It will plunge the already crippled South Korean economy and people's living into a deeper quagmire." (Yonhap)