The U.S. Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency has put South Korea on a list of nations that have shown interest in building a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system.

In two reports written for the Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference last month, the agency grouped Korea, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and India as countries that have shown interest or requested analysis materials on overseas BMD networks the United States is pursuing.

The Missile Defense Agency wrote in the reports that South Korea asked for materials on terms of participation in the BMD program.

South Korea has put off Washington’s request to join the ballistic missile defense program, considering its relations with China and other reasons. But to be marked by the U.S. agency in charge of America’s missile defense project as a nation interested may point to changes in the future of BMD in Northeast Asia.