Anchor: A senior Pentagon official says Washington and Seoul are discussing possible responses to North Korea’s latest threats on a daily basis. The official said the U.S. is ready to respond to the threats if necessary. 
Our Bae Joo-yon has more. 

Report: Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey said in a teleconference on Thursday that the U.S. is holding discussions every day with South Korea over possible measures to deal with North Korea's threats.

[Sound bite: Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey]
“Day-to-day interactions with the Republic of Korea to identify ways and things that we need to do to ensure that we're presenting the most effective deterrence and response capability if that's needed.”

Helvey, however, stopped short of elaborating on what specifically is being discussed, including whether the U.S. will deploy strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, saying he would not get ahead of any future decisions.

Saying the North continues to pose an "extraordinary" threat to the region, Helvey said the U.S. is constantly talking to South Korea to ensure that they, as an alliance, are presenting the most effective combined deterrence and defense capability for the people of South Korea.

Helvey also said that the U.S. will respond to the North’s threats if deemed necessary. 
 
[Sound bite: Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey]
“We're postured to maintain an effective deterrence on the peninsula and if necessary, to respond to defend against North Korean threats.”

Meanwhile, South Korea’s top nuclear negotiator Lee Do-hoon held a closed-door meeting in Washington on Thursday with Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who is in charge of the U.S.’ North Korea negotiations. They are likely to have discussed the current situation on the peninsula and ways to respond to the North’s threats against the South.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.