The US and South Korean militaries have wrapped up regular joint drills that simulated emergencies on the Korean Peninsula.

They opened live-fire drills to the media on Thursday, the final day of the Freedom Shield exercise. The 11-day drills kicked off on March 4.

In a training field in northern South Korea, the two militaries checked coordination as tanks in formation fired live shells on the target slope.

South Korea's military says 48 field maneuvers were carried out this year. This is said to be roughly double the number of drills conducted a year ago.

South Korean media say the latest exercise assumed a situation shortly before a possible nuclear attack by Pyongyang.

In the joint regular exercise scheduled for August, the two militaries reportedly plan to carry out their first training for the scenario of a possible use of nuclear weapons by the North.

North Korea did not engage in provocations with missile launches during the latest US-South Korean drills. But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un repeatedly inspected military exercises during this period.