China's retaliation against South Korea over the ongoing deployment of an advanced US missile defense system could be viewed as meddling with internal affairs, a senior foreign ministry official hinted Thursday.

During a meeting with lawmakers, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam said "Yes" to a question on whether China's bashing of Korea over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system represents interfering in internal affairs.

He went on to say that giving into Beijing's pressure would not be helpful in long-term relations between the two neighbors and stressed that the government will stick to its installation plan for THAAD.

South Korea and the US recently started the process of installing a THAAD battery to cope with the North's missile threats.

China, along with Russia, has voiced strong objections, claiming that the missile shield could be used against its military. Beijing has been intensifying its retaliation against South Korea mostly in the business, culture and tourism sectors. (Yonhap)