S.Korea, US move to adopt pre-emptive '4D' military operation

In the wake of North Korea's continuing maverick nuclear tests, South Korea and the United States have agreed to adopt a pre-emptive military operational concept at an early date.

Seoul defense sources said that for the first time, the two allies plan to conduct their joint annual Key Resolve exercise set for March, based on the new "4D" operational concept targeted to deal with North Korea's missile threats ahead of their original schedule.

During their annual Security Consultation Meeting in December, Defense Minister Han Min-Koo and his U.S. counterpart Ashton Carter endorsed the "4D" operational concept.

The "4D" operation has been designed to "detect, disrupt, destroy and defend" missile threats from the unpredictable North, which include nuclear, chemical and biological warheads.

Seoul's Defense Ministry is said to push for the pre-emptive "4D" operational concept, which involves the Pentagon's most advanced weaponry, as part of its efforts to boost readiness capabilities and to pose a deterrence posture against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.