Report: Seoul pursuing ship-fired missiles

Seoul's Ministry of National Defense has drafted a report saying the country needs to deploy US ship-based missile interceptors to complete its low-altitude air-and missile-defense system against Pyongyang, according to a news report on Thursday.

JoongAng Ilbo, a newspaper in the Republic of Korea, cited the internal report drafted in August, which advocates the deployment by Seoul of interceptors known as RIM-161 Standard Missile 3s, or SM-3s.

An unnamed official told the paper that the SM-3s, which are said to be able to target missiles launched from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired at a normal angle, would fill a gap in the country's defense systems comprising Patriot and Cheongung interceptors that can target an incoming missile up to 20 kilometers high, and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile shield that covers 40 to 150 kilometers in altitude.

The SM-3, part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, has an operational range of 700 kilometers.

Zhao Xiaozhuo, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said that if the interceptors are regarded as a part of the US defense system, it will be "rubbing salt on unhealed wounds" on China-US and China-ROK relations.

A Beijing-based strategist said deployment of the SM-3, if it comes to pass, will further impair China's security interests and draw strong opposition from Beijing.

Beijing and Moscow have fiercely objected to the US deployment of THAAD in the ROK, saying it will severely damage regional security. THAAD can monitor missile activities of large parts of the two countries.

Gao Feng, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said on Thursday the deployment of THAAD will "definitely" impact bilateral trade.

Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday that ROK retail giant Lotte will sell its supermarkets in China due to poor performance since the THAAD deployment announcement.

Some in the ROK advocate taking to the World Trade Organization commercial lawsuits related to China's countermeasures against THAAD.

However, a representative of the Blue House in Seoul said on Thursday that amid the high tensions, it is of key importance to keep up cooperation with China.

Zhou Jin and Zhang Yunbi contributed to this story.

lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn