Amid increasing threats from North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) from South Korea and the U.S. spoke over the phone to assess the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.
 
The JCS in Seoul said that Choi Yun-hee and his U.S. counterpart Martin Dempsey agreed that the situation is serious due to North Korean threats and that joint efforts are necessary to deter further provocation from Pyongyang.
 
Noting the Seoul-Washington alliance, General Dempsey promised powerful countermeasures in case of additional provocation by the North. 
 
South Korean and U.S. militaries have currently activated their joint military operations and are sharing surveillance intelligence on North Korean military moves.
 
U.S. Forces Korea is also on standby, including the 210th Fires Brigade, which is equipped with a multiple launch rocket system and self-propelled artillery.