Military officers from South Korea and the United States were in discussions to hold their first joint exercise aimed at testing their ability to cope with bioterrorism activities, officials said Thursday.
The allies hold a series of military drills against a possible North Korean invasion every year but have never conducted a joint exercise solely for the purpose of dealing with bioterrorism threats.
Called "Able Response 2011," the three-day discussions that started Wednesday involve senior defense officials from the two nations, including Andrew Weber, U.S. assistant to the secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs, officials said.
"In the wake of this week's discussions, South Korea and the U.S. plan to develop ways to hold a joint exercise against bioterrorism," said Yang Young-mo, a senior official at Seoul's defense ministry.
South Korea and the U.S. agreed to hold the discussions last year. The move doesn't indicate, however, that bioterrorism threats from North Korea are growing, Yang said.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high following the North's two deadly attacks on the South last year that killed a total of 50 South Koreans, including two civilians.