The United States says there has been no increase in protection for U.S. forces in South Korea and no unusual movements have been detected from North Korea’s military following the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

U.S. Defense Department Press Secretary George Little said such an assessment was made when South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta held a 15-minute telephone conversation about the death of the North Korean dictator on Monday.

Little said Kim and Panetta agreed that it is critical for both countries to remain prudent toward all matters related to the security posture on the Korean Peninsula.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey told reporters on Monday that no changes have been detected in North Korean behavior of a nature that would alarm the U.S. and its allies.

He added that the U.S. and South Korean leaders quickly established a network to discuss Kim’s death and what they could do to contribute to understanding what might happen next.