Over 300,000 US and South Korean troops will take part in a joint exercise in March in an attempt to deter Pyongyang.
US forces are deploying four times as many troops as originally planned for the exercise which is set to start in two weeks.
The parallel Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises are scheduled to commence on March 7, with the field-training exercises that make up Foal Eagle lasting until April 30.
A defence official reported: ‘This year’s operations will involve recovering key facilities that are located deep within North Korea, all the way near its northern borders,’
‘The scenario will include the special operations forces being deployed to border areas adjacent to China and Russia.’
South Korea will commit some 290,000 personnel more than double its usual deployment for the annual drills.
Pyongyang usually increases its hostilities during the join exercises, which usually leads to an increase of tensions.
Four US F-22 stealth fighters were deployed to an air base near Seoul on Wednesday in response to North Korea’s satellite launch.
Last week, the USS North Carolina submarine arrived at the southern port of Busan for training with the South Korean navy.
