South Korea and the United States are expected to discuss the possible deployment of a U.S. advanced missile-defense system on South Korean soil at their high-level defense talks next month, sources here said Wednesday.
  

The U.S. has expressed its will to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery on the peninsula, while the allies have said there have been neither consultations nor a decision on the matter.
  

"All pending issues between the two sides will likely be discussed during the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue due mid-April in Washington," a Seoul source said on condition of anonymity.
  

South Korea will be represented by Yoo Jeh-seung, Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy, and the U.S. by David Helvey, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, according to officials.
  

"The two sides will deal with the matter either as an informal or formal agenda during the meeting," another Seoul official said. "After all, it has been one of the most urgent and critical security issues not only between Seoul and Washington but in terms of their relations with China."
  

China has increased pressure on South Korea to not go through with the possible deployment of the battery here, claiming it will hamper its security interests. Stressing that the system aims to better counter North Korea's nuclear and missiles threat, however, Seoul has said the battery will help boost national security though it has no plan to buy one.
  

Also drawing attention is whether the issue is to be on the table during the planned talks between the chairmans of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from South Korea and the U.S. slated for this month in Seoul.
  

Gen. Martin Dempsey is scheduled to visit South Korea later this month "to meet with his South Korean counterpart Adm. Choi Yun-hee and discuss a wide range of issues including how to further boost joint defense posture," according to a Seoul official.
  

Dempsey's trip here is considered a return visit before he leaves office in May, the official said, noting Choi traveled to the U.S. in July last year.

  
The allies have said the primary purpose of a THAAD battery on the peninsula is to better defend South Korea from the North's evolving security threats and to guarantee the safety of the U.S. troops stationed here and their families.
  

Seoul's defense ministry, however, said whether to bring THAAD here "does not have to be included in the list of agendas" for the April talks, though Seoul and Washington have been in working-level discussions on when to hold the meeting and what to discuss during the meeting.
  

THAAD is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at a higher altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method.
  

Whether to bring THAAD to South Korea has drawn keen attention as it is seen by critics as part of a broader U.S. attempt to get the Asian ally to join its air defense system.
  

Instead of joining the U.S. missile defense, however, South Korea has been developing KAMD, a low-tier air defense program, and the Kill Chain, which is designed to launch strikes right after signs are detected of imminent nuclear or missile provocations by Pyongyang. (Yonhap)