US nuclear-armed submarine visits S. Korea for first time in decades

US nuclear-armed submarine visits S. Korea for first time in decades

An American nuclear-armed submarine is making a South Korean port name for the primary time in 4 a long time, a White House official mentioned Tuesday, because the allies counter North Korea’s rising navy threats.

Relations between the 2 Koreas are at one in every of their lowest factors, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean chief Kim Jong Un calling for elevated weapons growth, together with tactical nukes.

Seoul and Washington have ramped up defence cooperation in response, staging joint navy workouts with superior stealth jets and US strategic property.

On Tuesday, they held the primary Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) assembly in Seoul, which goals to enhance nuclear coordination between the 2 allies and enhance navy readiness towards North Korea.

“As we speak, an American nuclear submarine is making port in Busan today, the first visit of American nuclear submarine in decades,” White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell informed reporters after the assembly.

The final time Washington deployed one in every of its nuclear-capable submarines to South Korea was in 1981.

Washington introduced it might deploy a submarine able to launching ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads to the Korean peninsula in April, whereas South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was on a state go to. It didn’t specify a timeline.

“The US side demonstrated strong resolve that in case the North attacks the South with nuclear weapons it will be met with immediate, overwhelming and decisive counter measures, leading to the demise of its regime,” Kim Tae-hyo, the nationwide safety adviser who co-chaired the NCG assembly with Campbell, informed reporters.

North Korea baulks at having US nuclear property deployed across the Korean peninsula.

Kim Yo Jong, the highly effective sister of chief Kim Jong Un, mentioned Monday that such actions would solely “make the (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) go farther away” from attainable talks.

North Korea was “ready for resolutely countering any acts of violating its sovereignty”, mentioned Kim Yo Jong, who additionally dismissed holding talks with the United States as a “daydream”.

Source: www.anews.com.tr