The United States and South Korea are working on additional steps to deter future North Korean provocations, including advancing their "readiness capabilities" in disputed west-coast waters, the allies' defence chiefs said on Friday.
Tensions on the Korean peninsula hit the highest point in decades last year when a South Korean navy ship was sunk in a torpedo attack Seoul blamed on Pyongyang. The North denies involvement in the incident that killed 46 sailors.
The North later in the year shelled a South Korean island, killing four people and prompting the South to return fire. Seoul's response, criticised at home for being too weak and late, triggered a review of its defence operational guideline to allow a tougher retaliation to similar events in future.
"The (Korean) Minister and the (US) Secretary reaffirmed the need to advance the military deterrence capabilities of the Alliance in a more practical and concrete manner and also to improve response readiness in the event of a North Korean provocation," a joint statement by the defence chiefs said.
"Also they have decided to advance their combined readiness capabilities in the Northwest Islands and areas near the Northern Limit Line," it said. The waters near the disputed sea border are a flashpoint and have been the scene of several deadly clashes between the rival Koreas since 1999, including last year's two attacks.
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