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A US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday in a show of force meant to send a warning to North Korea.
The USS Ronald Reagan and its accompanying attack group ships arrived at a naval base in the city of Busan prior to joint exercises with South Korean forces.
The strike group commander, Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly, told reporters on board the ship that the visit was intended to establish alliances and increase interoperability between the navies.
When asked about sending messages to North Korea, Donnelly said, “We leave messages to diplomats.” He added that joint training will ensure the allies are ready to respond to any threat.
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“It’s an opportunity to practice tactics and tactics,” he said.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol wants more joint exercises and other uses of force as a deterrent against North Korea. North Korea has conducted a record number of missile tests this year and is believed to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
North Korea has criticized previous US military deployments and joint exercises as war rehearsals.
The United States said last week that the carrier’s visit was a “clear demonstration” of its commitment to deploying and exercising strategic assets to deter North Korea and enhance regional security.
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However, the U.S. Navy did not mention North Korea when announcing the visit. The branch said it “plans to make regular port calls,” emphasizing that the crew will visit Busan to volunteer at an orphanage and explore the K-pop music scene. He said he would be in port for a few days.
One crew member said he was looking forward to the break, but geopolitical tensions were always on his mind.
“We can’t really forget what we’re here for,” said the crew member.
This is the first visit to South Korea by a US aircraft carrier since 2018. Many exercises have since been scaled back or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic or diplomatic efforts with North Korea.
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Donnelly said questions about the role of the more than 28,000 US troops stationed in South Korea in the event of a conflict in Taiwan are directed at policy makers above him. But he said operations with like-minded allies like South Korea are an important part of the U.S. Navy’s efforts to maintain regional security and stability.
Reuters contributed to this report.