The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States have warned that North Korea's provocations will never be tolerated, saying that any act of aggression will be met with a "massive military response."

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Young-moo and his U.S. counterpart James Mattis issued the warning on Saturday in a joint news conference held after the bilateral Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul.

Mattis said that any use of nuclear weapons by the North will be met with a massive military response that is both effective and overwhelming.

The U.S. defense chief also reaffirmed his country’s commitment in providing an extended deterrence for South Korea using the full range of military capabilities, including a nuclear umbrella, conventional strikes and missile defense capabilities.

Song said that in order to enhance the United States’ extended deterrence commitment, the two sides agreed to expand rotational deployment of U.S. strategic assets and vowed to increase cooperation on deterrence policy.

He added that the allies agreed to revise missile guidelines to scrap limits on South Korean missile payloads.

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