Seoul, 21 May 2022 (dpa/MIA) - The United States and South Korea want to "expand the scope and scale" of their joint military activities given the threat post by North Korea, the countries' leaders said in a statement following talks in Seoul on Saturday. US President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol "agree to initiate discussions to expand the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training on and around the Korean Peninsula," their joint statement said. The announcement is likely to be perceived as an affront by North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un. He considers such joint military manoeuvres to be a belligerent provocation. Washington and Seoul, on the other hand, view Pyongyang's missile and nuclear weapons programme as a threat. Biden assured Yoon that the US remained committed to using its "full range" of defence capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defence systems, according to the statement. The aim of this extended deterrence posture is to prevent potential adversaries - North Korea, in this case - from launching an attack. Around 28,000 US soldiers are stationed in South Korea. Biden is spending three days in South Korea, as part of his first trip to Asia as US president. Biden considers Washington's alliance with Seoul to be "the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the region," according to the leaders' statement. His visit is overshadowed by heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea has tested multiple nuclear-capable weapons this year. South Korea and the US fear that Pyongyang could carry out new missile tests during or after Biden's visit.