The U.S. and South Korea condemned North Korea's “recent reckless and dangerous behaviors” along the inter-Korean border on Wednesday, while reiterating their commitment to strengthening defenses against Pyongyang’s nuclear threat during high-level extended deterrence talks.

In a joint statement following the fifth annual Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) meeting held in Washington, the allies warned that North Korea's actions near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) raise “the risk of inadvertent escalation on the Peninsula.”