ROK, US should reconsider before destabilizing region

Despite strong Chinese and Russian opposition, the Republic of Korea's defense ministry signed a contract with the Lotte Group on Tuesday for a land swap that will enable the deployment of a US anti-missile system.

The deal will speed up the deployment of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the ROK, which jeopardizes China's national security and regional peace.

Although the two allies say the system will safeguard the ROK from any missiles fired at it by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the THAAD will by no means make the ROK safer. Designed to intercept ballistic missiles at an altitude of 40-150 kilometers, it will not shoot down the short- and medium-range missiles of the DPRK that fly at an altitude of less than 40 km.