For the first time since 1981, a United States nuclear-capable submarine has made a port call to South Korea. The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), which can be armed with up to 20 Trident II ballistic missiles, arrived in the port of Busan on Tuesday and coincided with the inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Seoul.
The NCG, a joint American-South Korean panel on nuclear deterrence and strategy against North Korea, was created during a bilateral summit in April between the country’s leader in Washington DC.
A statement by the NCG read “This inaugural NCG meeting afforded the United States an opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the US commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK backed by the full range of US capabilities, including nuclear,” adding that “the collective strength of our two nations will directly contribute to the continued peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region.”
“Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime,” the NCG sternly warned.
The visit by the submarine, which was symbolic and likely a flex directed at North Korea, comes amid increased tensions on the peninsula following increased North Korean weapons testing. Just last week, North Korea tested a Hwasong-18 ballistic missile, which it called a “strong practical warning” to its enemies, prompting joint American-South Korean naval drills in response.
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, told state media on Monday that “The U.S. should stop its foolish act of provoking the DPRK even by imperilling its security,” further adding that “”It is a daydream for the U.S. to think that it can stop the advance of the DPRK and, furthermore, achieve irreversible disarmament…”
