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THAAD interceptors arrive at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on March 7, 2017. (provided by the United States Forces Korea)

Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command and US Forces Korea, raised eyebrows Wednesday with his remarks about missile defense.

Abrams said that the US was working on “building three specific capabilities,” adding that one had already been deployed on the Korean Peninsula and two of which would “come on board this year.”

Responding to a question about improvements in North Korea’s missile capabilities in a US House Armed Services Committee hearing that day, Abrams stressed that the South Korean and US military’s air and missile defense forces had very robust capabilities.

“MDA [the US Missile Defense Agency] is in the process of building three specific capabilities. One is already here. The other two will come on board this year,” he added.

USFK currently has the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and Patriot missiles positioned on the Korean Peninsula as interceptors to defend against missiles. It is unclear for now whether Abrams’ remarks referred to the introduction of new interceptor missiles besides THAAD or the Patriots, or whether he was referring to improvements to the capabilities of existing THAAD and Patriot missiles.

Abrams said the new capabilities would “significantly enhance our ballistic missile defense,” but did not offer specifics.

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it was “unaware” of the plans. When asked about them in a press briefing Thursday, MND spokesperson Boo Seung-chan avoided giving a direct reply, saying, “That has not been confirmed yet, and we will speak about it when we have the opportunity after it has been confirmed.”

Another MND official said, “When USFK introduces a new weapons system, they [always] discuss it with us.”

“But there has not been any request from USFK recently for discussions about the sort of thing that we would associate with the capabilities that Commander Abrams spoke about,” the official added.

“We’re unaware ourselves, and we’re in the process of inquiring right now with USFK.”

By Park Byong-su, senior staff reporter

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