A US aircraft carrier has reached the shores of South Korea in a show of force just days after North Korea test-fired cruise missiles to demonstrate its retaliatory strike capabilities.
The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the South Korean port of Busan is aimed at strengthening the military alliance between the United States and South Korea amid persistent threats from North Korea and improving the interoperability of the allied forces, the South Korean Navy said in a statement.
This is the first time a US aircraft carrier has visited South Korea since June.
The carrier's deployment is expected to anger North Korea, which views the deployment of powerful US military forces as a serious threat to its security.
North Korea has previously responded to similar deployments of US aircraft carriers, long-range bombers and nuclear submarines by conducting missile tests.
After his inauguration in January, US President Donald Trump said he would again try to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to restart diplomacy.
North Korea has not responded directly to Trump's initiative, but perceived US aggressive actions against North Korea have escalated since his inauguration.
North Korea said Friday that it had carried out a series of test launches of strategic cruise missiles early last week to alert its adversaries to its military capabilities for counter-strikes and readiness for nuclear operations.
After overseeing the launches, which were North Korea's fourth missile test this year, Mr Kim ordered his military to be on full alert to use its nuclear arsenal.
Experts believe that Mr Kim is unlikely to accept Mr Trump's offer in the near future, as he is currently focused on the situation with Russia and Ukraine.
They also note that Mr Kim may consider resuming diplomatic relations with Mr Trump when he feels he can no longer maintain his country's current active engagement with Russia.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump met three times from 2018 to 2019 during Mr. Trump’s first term to discuss the future of North Korea’s nuclear program. Their high-strategy diplomacy ultimately collapsed over disagreements over U.S. economic sanctions against North Korea.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
