The United States pledged to constantly deploy U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula that will equate to a more permanent presence to respond to North Korean provocations.

In a joint press conference after the 54th South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting(SCM) at the Pentagon on Thursday, South Korea's defense minister Lee Jong-sup confirmed the assurance by his U.S. counterpart, Lloyd Austin.

Minister Lee said that the allies agreed to effectively respond to any provocation by North Korea by increasing the frequency and intensity of the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on and around the peninsula to the degree of a constant deployment.

Austin explained that while there will be no new deployment of strategic assets, such as nuclear-powered submarines, aircraft carriers and strategic bombers, they will be moved in and out on a routine basis.

The defense chiefs agreed to conduct annual training for the effective operation of the U.S.' extended deterrence, while also planning to resume large-scale joint field training next year.

The two sides also agreed to create a policy consultative body on South Korea-U.S. missile responses to counter North Korean missiles.