美韓將部署薩德反導彈系統

The U.S. and South Korea have announced plans to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense - THAAD - on the Korean peninsula to counter North Korea’s ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile development programs.

美國和韓國宣佈，計劃在朝鮮半島部署終端高空區域防禦系統薩德，以抵禦朝鮮正在進行的核武器及彈道導彈研發項目。

General Thomas Vandal, the chief of staff for U.S. Forces in Korea, and South Korea’s Deputy Minister of Defense Ryu Je-seung made the formal announcement during a joint briefing in Seoul Friday.

美國駐韓部隊參謀長托馬斯·梵德爾將軍和韓國國防部副部長柳濟勝星期五在首爾的一次聯合簡報會上正式宣佈了這一決定。

“North Korea’s continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction, in opposition to its commitments to the international community, require our alliance to ensure that we retain the ability defend ourselves in the face of this threat,” said Gen. Vandal.

梵德爾將軍說：“朝鮮違反對國際社會的承諾，繼續研發彈道導彈和大規模殺傷性武器，我們需要聯合起來，確保我們在這樣的威脅面前保有捍衛自己的能力。”

In February following North Korea’s last nuclear test and launch of a long-range rocket using ballistic missile technology, Washington and Seoul began formal consultations to discuss the feasibility of deploying THAAD.

今年二月朝鮮再次進行覈實驗並使用彈道導彈技術發射了一枚遠程火箭後，華盛頓和首爾開始正式磋商，討論部署薩德系統的可行性。

THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

薩德系統的作用是在彈道導彈飛行的最後或終極階段將其攔截並摧毀。到目前爲止，這一系統已被證實對短程和中程彈道導彈有效。