The signing of a contract which would secure the location of the US missile defense system, or THAAD, in South Korea could be delayed, Seoul's Defence Ministry said on Monday. 
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system is due to be deployed on land which is now part of a golf course owned by the Lotte Group conglomerate in the Seongju region, southeast of South Korea's capital Seoul. 
"The plan to go ahead with the exchange will be signed by mid-January, but there is a possibility it will be slightly delayed," South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a regular news briefing, according to state news agency (Yonhap). 
"Lotte needs to hold a meeting of the board of directors to approve the final assessment fee," Moon said. "We understand that the meeting has not happened yet, but will be held soon". 
South Korea and the US say the deployment of THAAD is designed to protect against North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities. 
The deployment of THAAD in rural Seongju has been met with protests from farmers concerned that the sophisticated missile defense system's advanced radar will damage local melon crops and make the small town a target of a North Korean attack.

Source: QNA