South Korea and the United States appear to be in discussion over the timing of a U.S. B-52 strategic bomber and a nuclear-armed submarine's deployment to South Korea, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

"Keeping close tabs on the crisis situation on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea and the U.S. are flexibly reviewing the timing of the deployment of strategic U.S. military assets,"

Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a regular briefing.

He did not pinpoint the kind of U.S. assets under consideration, but sources have said they might include the B-52 Stratofortress, which is equipped with bunker-buster bombs, and a nuclear-powered submarine currently stationed in Japan's Yokosuka.

The allies have often deployed powerful warships and fighter bombers like the nuclear USS George Washington aircraft carrier and the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet in a show of force against North Korea's major provocations in the past, including when the North shelled the South Korean front-line island of Yeongpyeong in 2010.

Such actions by the allies had prompted wild protest from the North.

"Our initial concept against North Korea's provocations is deterrence," Kim said of the potential deployment action. "The South Korean and U.S. militaries are in principle to deter North Korea from making provocations through their combined efforts."

Kim reiterated the South Korean military's determination that any North Korean attacks will be met with powerfully counterattacks.

"We will stand with a powerful war readiness position to deter North Korean provocations and, if provoked, will react harshly to the extent the North Korea would regret it," he noted. (Yonhap)