South Korea and the United States plan by the middle of next year to jointly draw up strategic guidelines for dealing with the nuclear threat from North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

Seoul and Washington have decided to complete in 2024 a thorough analysis of the strategy they will follow in order to jointly face Pyongyang’s nuclear threat, Kim Tae-hyo, the South Korean president’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters during the his visit to the USA.

It is expected to include methods of sharing classified information related to North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, the consultation process in the event of a nuclear crisis, as well as teleconferences between the leaders of the two countries, the South Korean official said.

The US and South Korea are expected to include nuclear preparedness exercises in joint military high schools next year, according to Yonhap.

North Korea is likely to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a nuclear warhead in the coming days. Pyongyang has developed ballistic missiles that could hit targets in South Korea, Japan and the US.