For the first time in decades, a nuclear-capable U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarine visited South Korea after North Korea's recent test of a solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile, CNN reports.
The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine arrived in Busan, and the presence was announced by South Korea's Defense Ministry. Kurt Campbell, coordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the U.S. National Security Council, participated in the inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Seoul. The NCG is a joint panel established by the U.S. and South Korean leaders in April.
The submarine's arrival follows heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, with North Korea testing advanced long-range missiles and threatening U.S. military aircraft conducting reconnaissance near its territory.
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, expressed concerns that the deployment of the U.S. ballistic missile submarine would damage communication lines between the two sides.
U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed on the port call as part of the "Washington Declaration," aiming to deter potential attacks. However, analysts noted that the submarine's visit could be purely symbolic, potentially reducing its military value.
The Ohio-class submarines can carry up to 20 Trident II ballistic missiles, with each missile capable of holding four nuclear warheads, leading to an estimated 80 nuclear warheads on each U.S. ballistic missile submarine. The NCG meeting aimed to enhance combined deterrence and response posture, contributing to peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific region.
The presence of a ballistic missile submarine near North Korea presents strategic advantages, emphasizing nuclear deterrence and uncertainty, but it could also make the submarine more visible and disadvantageous if North Korea intended a surprise attack.
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