Officials from China and the U.S. are holding back-to-back talks with South Korea this week.
In today's meeting with Seoul foreign ministry officials, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel commented on a Chinese officials' remarks from yesterday.
Here's Arirang's foreign affairs ministry correspondent Hwang Sung-hee.
Just a day after China voiced concerns over the possible deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea, the United States said China doesn't have a say in the matter.
"I find it curious that a third country would presume to make strong representations about a security system that has not been put in place and that is still a matter of theory."
Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Jianchao told reporters in Seoul on Monday that China hopes South Korea will consider Beijing's concerns before deploying the U.S.-led missile defense system.
Beijing is against the deployment over concerns that the radar system, which can cover 1-thousand kilometers, could be used to monitor mainland China.
But following talks with senior South Korean officials in Seoul on Tuesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said THAAD is purely for countering North Korean threats and that its deployment is up to South Korea.
"It is for the Republic of Korea to decide what measures it will take in its own alliance defense and when."
The U.S. envoy remained wary about Seoul's participation in China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying Beijing should first ensure the transparency of the new financial institution.
"Every government can make its own decision about whether the way to achieve that goal is by joining before the articles of agreement are clarified or by waiting to see what the evidence looks like as the bank starts to operating."
"If South Korea wants to join the AIIB as a founding member, it must confirm its membership by the end of this month.
With the clock ticking, Seoul seems to have found itself in a