DOZENS of South Korean protesters were injured in clashes with police yesterday over the deployment of more US anti-ballistic missile launchers.

Thirty-eight protesters as well as six officers were injured as thousands of riot police swarmed over demonstrators who were attempting to block vehicles carrying four launchers to the village of Seongju — the site of South Korea’s terminal high-altitude area defence (Thaad) system.

The South Korean President Moon Jae In approved the full deployment of the system this week after North Korea fired a powerful missile on Sunday.

Similar clashes took place in Seonju in April this year when the first two Thaad launchers were deployed.

The protests came as Mr Moon met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian Pacific port city of Vladivostok.

Both called for further sanctions on North Korea over its rapidly advancing nuclear weapons and missile programmes, including an oil shipment embargo.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would support new UN security council measures against North Korea, but only to pressure Pyongyang into talks.

But US President Donald Trump and his UN ambassador Nikki Haley have both ruled out dialogue.

Speaking at the forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged all sides to step back from military confrontation.

“We hope it will not come to a conflict with the use of weapons of mass destruction in north-east Asia,” he said.

“There are possibilities to achieve the settlement of Pyongyang’s problem by diplomatic means. This is possible and must be done.”