The US envoy for North Korea arrived in Seoul on Monday for talks with his South Korean counterparts about how to address Pyongyang’s increased missile launches and concerns about the possibility of nuclear testing restarting.

During a five-day visit, US Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, will meet with South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk.

Their arrival coincided with the start of a nine-day annual joint military exercise between US and South Korean forces. The exercise will be a “defensive command post-training using computer simulation,” with no troop field manoeuvres, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday.

North Korea has condemned the joint drills as “war rehearsals,” and they have been reduced in recent years as part of efforts to engage Pyongyang in diplomacy and due to COVID-19 restrictions.

North Korea test-fired what state media said were missiles capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons on Saturday.

Kim told reporters upon his arrival that he was in Seoul to continue “close coordination” on North Korean developments, according to Yonhap news agency, without elaborating.

He has stated that he is willing to hold talks with North Korea at any time and without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rejected those overtures, accusing Washington of continuing hostile policies such as sanctions and military drills.

South Korean media reported that Kim was also expected to meet with the transition team for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who takes office in May.

A spokesperson for the team said there was no meeting confirmed between Yoon and Kim, and could not immediately confirm whether the envoy would be meeting other transition officials.