South Korean K-136 Kooryong 130mm 36-round multiple rocket launch system fire rockets during a joint live drill with the US at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Seoul: The US military started moving parts of an anti-missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea yesterday, triggering protests from villagers and criticism from China, amid tension over North Korea's weapons development.

The earlier-than-expected steps to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was also denounced by the frontrunner in South Korea's presidential election on May 9. South Korea's defence ministry said elements of THAAD were moved to the deployment site, on what had been a golf course, about 250 km south of the capital.