DPRK slams Seoul again for THAAD decision

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday once again slammed Seoul for its decision to deploy the anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korea Peninsula, saying it is "dodging the mounting criticism."

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her government are "driven into a tight corner by the strong criticism and protest against the THAAD deployment from not only the South Korean public, but also from all Koreans and international society," said a statement given by a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country (CPRC).

The statement, which was carried by the official KCNA news agency, criticized Seoul for its pro-American policy, saying it is being "utterly indifferent to the national dignity and interests."

Last Wednesday, the CPRC denounced Park for her hyping up the North's nuclear and missile threats to justify Seoul's joint decision with Washington to introduce the missile interceptor to the Korean Peninsula.

Last week, the DPRK fired two ballistic missiles into east waters in an apparent protest against the deployment of THAAD in South Korea.

Park said last Thursday that a shift from the site in Seongju county planned for the THAAD deployment can be reviewed.

Her comments came amid a growing outcry among local residents over the planned THAAD deployment some 250 km southeast of Seoul, where South Korea and the United States agreed last month to deploy one THAAD battery by the end of next year.

China has expressed strong opposition to the THAAD deployment on the peninsula as it damages China's security interests and breaks the strategic balance in Northeast Asia, while Russia has indicated a military response by deploying a missile unit in the Far Eastern region. Endi