A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Sunday as a demonstration of military strength, just days after North Korea launched cruise missiles to showcase its counterattack capabilities. The USS Carl Vinson and its strike group docked at the South Korean port of Busan, signaling a strong U.S.-South Korea military alliance in response to ongoing threats from North Korea. The South Korean navy stated that the visit was intended to enhance the allies’ interoperability and reinforce their combined defense assets.
This marks the first U.S. aircraft carrier to visit South Korea since June. The arrival of the carrier is likely to provoke North Korea, which perceives temporary deployments of such powerful U.S. military assets as significant security threats. In the past, North Korea has reacted to U.S. carrier deployments, along with the presence of long-range bombers and nuclear-powered submarines, by conducting missile tests.
Since his inauguration on January 20, President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to engage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un once again to restart diplomatic talks. However, North Korea has not directly responded to Trump’s offer and has instead claimed that U.S.-led hostilities towards the country have escalated since Trump’s presidency began.
North Korea announced on Friday that it test-fired strategic cruise missiles earlier in the week to demonstrate its military’s counterattack capabilities and the readiness of its nuclear operations. Following the launches, which marked the country’s fourth missile test this year, Kim Jong Un ordered his military to be fully prepared to deploy nuclear weapons if necessary.
Experts believe that Kim is unlikely to engage with President Trump’s diplomatic overture anytime soon, as he is currently focused on supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by providing weapons and troops. They suggest that Kim might reconsider diplomacy with Trump only if he feels he can no longer maintain North Korea’s growing cooperation with Russia.
Kim and Trump held three meetings between 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first term to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program. However, their negotiations ultimately broke down over disagreements regarding U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea.