Senior defense and foreign policy officials from South Korea and the United States have held talks in Washington over the growing threat of a DPRK missile attack.

South Korea officials say the two-day talks focused on developing so-called "4D" capabilities to -- detect, disrupt, destroy and defend against potential nuclear and missile attacks from the DPRK.

Analysts suspect the two sides also discussed preparations to transfer operational control of a number of South Korean military bases to Seoul.