U.S. defense chief to visit S. Korea next month amid rows over THAAD

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter plans to visit South Korea in early April amid rows over whether to deploy an advanced U.S. missile defense system, called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), on the Korean Peninsula, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday.

A South Korean government official was quoted as saying that Carter will visit South Korea in early April and hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo.

Carter, who was sworn in as the U.S. defense secretary in mid- February, is known as a strong advocate for missile defense, boosting expectations for defense chiefs of both sides to discuss the THAAD deployment issue.

Carter's visit comes amid the ongoing rows between rival political parties here over whether to adopt the THAAD on the Korean Peninsula.

Lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party have repeatedly raised the need for the THAAD deployment, but members of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy have opposed to it as the U.S. missile defense system is designed to intercept ICBMs at a higher altitude.

Amid the growing controversy, South Korea's Defense Ministry said last week that it will make a decision "on its own" after only considering national security interests.

Before Carter's visit, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Martin Dempsey will make a three-day trip to South Korea from March 26 at the invitation of his South Korean counterpart Choi Yun-hee.

A South Korean Defense Ministry official told Xinhua that the THAAD issue will not be on the agenda for the talks between Dempsey and Choi slated for March 27. Endi