The United States and South Korea are destined to "pay the price" for their decision to deploy an advanced missile defence system which will inevitably prompt a "counter attack", China's top newspaper said.

The United States and South Korea are destined to "pay the price" for their decision to deploy an advanced missile defence system which will inevitably prompt a "counter attack", China's top newspaper said.

This year has seen heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula, starting with North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January, which was followed by a satellite launch, a string of tests of various missiles, and its fifth and largest nuclear test last month.

In July, South Korea agreed with the United States to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system to protect against any North Korean threats.

South Korea aims to deploy the system on a golf course, a defence ministry official said on Friday.

But the plan has angered China, concerned THAAD's powerful radar would compromise its security and do nothing to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

In a commentary, the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said China's opposition to THAAD would never change as the program was a serious threat to the regional strategic security balance.

"Like any other country, China can neither be vague nor indifferent on security matters that affect its core interests," the newspaper said in the commentary, published under the pen name "Zhong Sheng", meaning "Voice of China", often used to give views on foreign policy.

It said the United States and South Korea needed to wake up to the fact the Korean Peninsula was not a place to take risks.

"If the United States and South Korea harm the strategic security interests of countries in the region including China, then they are destined to pay the price for this and receive a proper counter attack," the paper said.