GETTY The US is set to bolster its facilities in South Korea

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In a statement, the Department of Defence said: “Gilbane Federal [of] Concord, California was awarded a $133.4 million… contract for the construction of two facilities: US Forces Korea Operations Centre, and Phase III Facility at US Army Garrison Humphreys.” Construction is expected to be completed by May 2, 2020, as the US tries to bolster its influence in the region.

The news comes after US Vice President Mike Pence said his country’s "era of strategic patience" with North Korea is over during a visit to the Korean demilitarised zone (DMZ). The US and South Korea have vowed to work together to quell the threat from North Korea, which has increased substantially in recent weeks as the international community becomes increasingly concerned by Kim Jong-un’s nuclear capabilities.

America and South Korea prepare for war against North Korea Tue, April 11, 2017 U.S. and South Korean marines participate in the endurance exercise in temperature below minus 20 degrees celsius under a scenario to defend the country from any possible attacks from North Korea. Play slideshow 1 of 22

China and the US are also hoping discuss the best way of reducing the threat from North Korea, although officials in Beijing are unhappy at the prospect of the US anti-missile defence system THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) being deployed in South Korea. Last month, China’s ambassador to the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva said his country firmly opposed the deployment of THAAD “and will take necessary measures to defend our own security interests”. Fu Cong added: “All parties concerned should work together for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and its peace and stability.”

GETTY There have been a number of protests in South Korea about the deployment of THAAD

THAAD has a range of 130 miles and can reach an altitude of 90 miles, and is designed to shoot down short and medium-range ballistic missiles. South Korea’s Disarmament ambassador Kim Inchul said: “THAAD is purely defensive. It is the only defence measure we can take facing the massive threat posed by North Korea.”

GETTY The USS Carl Vinson was recently deployed close to the Korean shore as tensions in the region rise