WASHINGTON/SEOUL April 29 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Defense has revealed that highly specialized nuclear teams from the United States and South Korea conducted joint drills in March to strengthen their interoperability on the Korean Peninsula.

The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, a Pentagon media service, released the report Wednesday, when President Yoon Suk Yeol held a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.

The leaders adopted the Washington Declaration to strengthen "extended deterrence" against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group to discuss nuclear and strategic planning.

The report said U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Teams (NDT) trained with South Korea's Nuclear Characterization Teams (NCT) during the defense-oriented drills from March 20-24.

This marks the first time that the U.S. has disclosed a joint nuclear disablement exercise between the allies.

"The NDTs and NCTs were able to plan and execute missions together and work hand-in-hand in areas that allow us to communicate effectively between each other and our soldiers downrange," Maj. Ariel A. Alcaide, the deputy team leader for NDT 3, was quoted as saying.

"This is a giant leap from the previous partnership events," he added.

There are three NDTs, all stationed in Maryland and belonging to the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, the agency reported.

The South Korean counterparts are believed to be part of the joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Defense Command affiliated with the Ministry of Defense.

The drills coincided with the allies' Freedom Shield command post training and Ssangyong amphibious landing practice conducted in South Korea from March 13-23 and from March 20-April 3, respectively.

South Korea's defense ministry declined to comment about the report.
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