South Korea, U.S. plan Feb nuclear tabletop drills to deter North

FILE PHOTO: The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, August 23, 2016. Picture taken on August 23, 2016. Courtesy Ken Scar/U.S. Army/Handout via REUTERS

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States will hold tabletop exercises next month involving the American extended deterrence effort as the allies move to better counter the North's nuclear threats, South Korea's defence minister said on Wednesday.

North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, while U.S. officials have warned it could be preparing for its first test of a nuclear device since 2017.