Thaad missile
A Thaad interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency Reuters

Russia and China have agreed to take more countermeasures to tackle Washington's decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (Thaad) in South Korea.

According to Chinese state run Xinhua news agency, the measures "will be aimed at safeguarding interests of China and Russia and the strategic balance in the region".

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"China and Russia urged the United States and South Korea to address their security concerns and stop the deployment of THAAD on the Korean Peninsula," Xinhua quoted a statement released after a security meeting between China and Russia.

In May 2016, Beijing and Moscow held a joint anti-missile drill after the US and South Korea started discussions on installing the Thaad to defend Seoul from North Korea's aggression.

The anti-missile system, which is likely to be deployed on a South Korean golf course, has rankled Russia and China as its powerful radar could compromise their security. Beijing and Moscow also made it clear that they would hold another drill this year.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Friday (13 January) vowed to strengthen the already strong ties with the US. He added, "The security situation on the Korean Peninsula is grave," referring to Kim Jong Un's message on New Year about the test-launching of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).

However, Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions have reportedly angered China, who is the North's only economic and diplomatic ally.