South Korea will kick off a major military exercise next week to hone defense capabilities to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Seoul officials said Friday.

The annual Hoguk exercise, set for Monday to Oct. 28, has been arranged amid heightened tensions caused by North Korea's provocations, including its firing of a short-range ballistic missile and some 170 artillery shots early Friday.

This year's edition will focus on improving capabilities to carry out peacetime and wartime missions by simulating various threats from the North, including those from its nuclear arms and missiles, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It involves troops from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Some US troops will also partake as part of efforts to enhance interoperability between the allies, the JCS said. (Yonhap)