The advanced U.S. missile defense system in South Korea will be capable of intercepting North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missiles, Seoul's defense chief said Sunday.

South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo said the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system can intercept North Korea's SLBMs if they are fired at South Korea. His remarks were made a day after the North test-fired an SLBM from waters southeast of the coastal port city of Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province. The test-fire, however, ended in failure, according to the South Korean military.

"If the North fires an SLBM at South Korea from the east coast, it can be intercepted by THAAD just like Musudan missiles since the North Korea will have to adjust the range of the missiles, which can fly 2,000 kilometers," Han said on a KBS TV show. "The North's SLBM is a missile launched from a submarine, so based on our Navy's antisubmarine operations, we will detect and incapacitate the missile before it is fired."

On Friday, South Korea and the United States announced that the countries have agreed to deploy the THAAD missile interception system in the Northeast Asian country in order to upgrade the military allies' defense against North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities. The South Korean defense ministry said the allies will seek to deploy and start operations of one THAAD battery in South Korea at least by the end of 2017.

"THAAD is a missile interception system for short-range and intermediate-range missiles whose range is under 3,000 km, and it can intercept any of the North's scud, Rodong and Musudan missiles," he said. "Musudan are missiles that are in the

3,000-3,500 km range, and their operation depth for the Korean Peninsula is shorter, but if North Korea decides to use them (on the Korean Peninsula) by adjusting the amount of fuel or firing them at a high angle with such purpose, THAAD will show its capability."

Han said South Korea already has Patriot missiles that can intercept short-range missiles, but since their covering range is small, the addition of THAAD will be a big help.

"One THAAD unit can cover half or two-thirds of South Korea,"

he said. "This is a 'big umbrella' that can cover 10 times the area that a 'small umbrella' like Patriot missiles can."

The defense minister said THAAD won't be able to destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles heading toward the United States, and will only be used to defend the South.

Han said THAAD will be controlled by the U.S. Forces Korea's Seventh Air Force Commander in wartime, but South Korean Air Force Operations Command chief will command the system in peacetime.

"If there is a situation to intercept a North Korean missile in peacetime, we will counteract by combining all assets of both the U.S. and South Korea under the command of the Air Force Operations chief," he said. "Although it is likely that the North will only launch missiles at South Korea in wartime, since there is a possibility that North Korea will provoke us in ordinary times, we will constantly be ready to carry out countermeasures."

Han responded to China's discontent over THAAD being placed on South Korean soil and concerns that it could worsen the relationship between South Korea and China, saying the two countries should strengthen their talks.

Han said that the site for the THAAD deployment will be announced soon, but the specific location will not be made public due to military secrecy. (Yonhap)