Seoul: A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, docked in South Korea’s port city of Busan on Saturday to participate in joint military exercises alongside South Korea and Japan this month, confirmed South Korea’s navy.
The joint exercises were agreed upon by the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan during a summit at Camp David in August 2023. The annual drills aim to enhance military cooperation and readiness in response to what the leaders denounced as China’s “dangerous and aggressive behavior” in the South China Sea.
In a significant geopolitical move, Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to North Korea in 24 years this week. During the visit, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a pact that includes a mutual defense commitment, described by Kim as forging an alliance with Russia. This visit underscores Russia’s increasing presence and influence in Asia.
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The arrival of the Theodore Roosevelt marks another demonstration of extended deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, following a similar visit by the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to South Korea seven months ago.
