A U.S.-South Korean joint working group to discuss deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) has been formed, with its first talks scheduled to take place on Friday afternoon, local media said.

“South Korea’s Defense Ministry and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) – on behalf of the Pentagon – have signed the agreement to form the U.S.-South Korean joint working group to discuss the USFK’s THAAD deployment,” an unnamed South Korean defense official was quoted as saying by the Chosun Ilbo on Friday.

The unnamed defense official also said that the joint group will discuss an optimal site for the system’s deployment, as well as related safety and