Moon Jae-in speaks after winning the nomination as a presidential candidate of the Minjoo Party, during a national convention, in Seoul, South Korea, April 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - The spokesman for the front runner in South Korea’s May 9 presidential election Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday the move by the U.S. military to deploy elements of the THAAD anti-missile defense was strongly regrettable.

Moon’s spokesman, Park Kwang-on, said in a statement that the move was “very inappropriate” as it strips the next government of the right to make the policy decision on the controversial missile defense system.