The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived in South Korea on Sunday just days after North Korea test-launched cruise missiles.
The first such move since June was intended to demonstrate the solid U.S-South Korean military alliance in the face of repeated North Korean threats, the South Korean navy said in a statement.
Why It Matters
Relations between the U.S. and North Korea have deteriorated, despite President Donald Trump returning to office last month following a first term that included three meetings with Pyongyang leader Kim Jong Un.
This all comes amid frequent missile tests and nuclear threats from North Korea, which Pyongyang has said is to “inform the enemies, who are seriously violating the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and fostering and escalating the confrontation environment, of the KPA’s counterattack capability in any space.”
What To Know
The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson arrived at a naval base in Busan this weekend, accompanied by the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and the Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Sterett.
This is expected to anger North Korea as it will be seen as a major security threat, The Associated Press reported.
It comes after North Korea carried out a “strategic cruise missile launching drill” in the Yellow Sea (which Pyongyang refers to as the “West Sea of Korea”) last Wednesday, according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
This was in response to the U.S. test-firing a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile from California over the Pacific Ocean.
The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is escorted into a navy port in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, March 2, 2025.
The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is escorted into a navy port in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, March 2, 2025.
AP
North Korea accused the Trump administration of “provocations threatening the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)” and warned that it considers “nuclear deterrence” to be “a just and inevitable option.”
What People Are Saying
Rear Adm. Lee Nam-gyu said: “Our military will powerfully retaliate against any North Korean threat, and the South Korea-U.S. alliance will support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region through close cooperation.”
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said: “The Carl Vinson’s carrier strike group operations demonstrate our commitment to bolster the defense of allies and partners, and strengthen our ability to ‘fight tonight and win.’ This visit, especially when coupled with realistic all domain, joint and combined training, increases interoperability and ensures we build the readiness posture to deter aggression and maintain stability in the Republic of Korea and the region.”
What Happens Next
Trump has said he will reach out to North Korean leader Kim to try to revive diplomacy talks—North Korea has not yet responded publicly.