A senior U.S. defense official has said that discussions with South Korea are under way on new means to address Seoul’s concerns about the U.S. extended deterrence against threats from North Korea.

Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, made the remarks on Thursday during a forum hosted by the Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington.

Ratner said that the allies are currently in talks on new consultative mechanisms to address issues important to Seoul that seek a better understanding of the U.S. strategic operations, planning and thinking.

South Korea and the U.S., which held the Deterrence Strategy Committee Table-Top Exercise(TTX) in Washington last month, are reportedly seeking a fresh TTX in the near future that covers diplomacy, intelligence and economic responses.

Ratner said that over the past few months, the U.S. has been focusing on enhancing the elements of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and the U.S. extended deterrence.

The official stressed that these efforts and activities are aimed at deterring aggression and conflict, adding that the U.S. is focused on "readiness," "deterrence" and ensuring Kim Jong-un refrains from taking risks that well exceed his capacity.