SEOUL (REUTERS) - South Korea's defence ministry said the United States had agreed to deploy strategic assets for annual joint military exercises, Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday (Feb 14), citing a ministry report submitted to a parliamentary committee.

It did not give further details, and it was not immediately clear whether the planned deployment of strategic assets for the exercises was in response to North Korea's launch on Sunday of a ballistic missile, in violation of United Nations resolutions.

The United States and South Korea hold large-scale military drills annually in the South, which usually begin in March. North Korea characterises the exercises as preparation for war against it.