South Korea, US Plan February Nuclear Tabletop Drills to Deter North

The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, on Aug. 23, 2016. Courtesy Ken Scar/U.S. Army/Handout via Reuters

SEOUL—South Korea and the United States will hold tabletop exercises next month as the allies move to better counter the North’s nuclear threats, South Korea’s defence minister said on Wednesday.

Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. U.S. and South Korean officials have also warned the North could be preparing for its first test of a nuclear device since 2017.