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US sends nuclear-armed sub to S. Korea amid N. Korea’s nuclear show.

U.S. Nuclear-Armed Submarine Visits South Korea

For the ‍first time since⁣ the 1980s, a⁣ U.S. nuclear-armed‌ ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)⁤ visited South Korea on Tuesday, marking ⁣a significant event‍ in the allies’⁤ efforts to coordinate ⁣their‌ responses ​in the​ event of ⁣a nuclear ‍war with⁢ North Korea.

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Rare ⁤Visit Confirmed by ⁤White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator

White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell confirmed the rare ‍visit, which‌ had been expected after it was announced in a⁤ joint declaration during a summit between South ‌Korean President ‍Yoon⁢ Suk Yeol ‍and U.S. President Joe Biden ​in ⁢Washington in April.

“As we speak, an American nuclear submarine ‌is making port ‍in Busan ⁤today. That’s the first visit of⁢ [an] American nuclear submarine in decades,” Campbell told reporters at⁤ a⁣ briefing ⁣in⁤ Seoul, where he was‍ attending the first Nuclear Consultative​ Group (NCG) discussion with South Korean ‌officials.

The group,​ aimed at better coordinating an allied nuclear response‍ in‍ the event ⁢of a war ‌with North Korea, was ⁤also announced during the April summit‌ amid ‍growing⁣ calls in South Korea for ⁣its own nuclear weapons, ⁤a step Washington opposes.

North Korea, which test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile⁤ (ICBM) ​last​ week,‍ condemned ‌the NCG on Monday for “openly discussing the use ⁣of nukes” and warned ‍against allied⁤ plans to increase displays of military‍ force,⁢ including the submarine visit.

Campbell did ⁢not identify⁢ the submarine, but said ‌its visit is⁣ a manifestation⁤ of American ⁤commitment‌ to South‍ Korea’s ⁣defense.

South Korea’s ⁢defense ministry later confirmed ​the ‍submarine’s arrival ‍and identified‌ it as the USS ⁢Kentucky, ‍an ​Ohio class SSBN.

U.S. SSBNs rely on stealth to ensure ​their survival⁤ and preserve their​ ability to⁢ launch nuclear‍ missiles during‌ a⁢ war, and they rarely make public stops‌ in ‌foreign ‍ports.

Enhancing Deterrence and Response Capabilities

The United States has⁢ pledged to deploy ‍more strategic assets such as⁣ aircraft carriers, submarines, and long-range bombers‍ to South⁣ Korea⁢ to deter North ‍Korea, which⁤ has developed increasingly powerful missiles⁣ that ⁤can hit targets as far away ⁣as the United States.

The U.S. Navy fields ​14 SSBNs,⁤ often referred to as “boomers.” ‍The Ohio-class submarines carry 20 Trident II D5 missiles, ‌each ⁢of ⁤which can deliver up ‍to eight nuclear warheads‍ to targets as ‌far as 12,000⁣ km (7,500 miles)​ away.

There were regular ⁢SSBN visits to South Korea in the 1970s, another period when South Korea was debating the ⁢strength ⁣of the U.S. commitment and the need⁣ for⁣ its own‌ nuclear arsenal, according⁤ to a report by the Federation of American‍ Scientists.

Coordinated Response and Information ‌Sharing

South⁣ Korea’s principal deputy national⁤ security‌ adviser‌ Kim Tae-hyo, who co-chaired the‍ meeting, said the discussions are enough to ⁤ensure ​there is no need for South Korea to develop its own nuclear​ weapons.

The two sides agreed to facilitate information sharing—including establishing ​a secure communication network—and ⁢coordination‌ and⁤ planning ​in the event of ⁢a ⁣North Korean ⁤nuclear attack,⁤ which would⁤ face an “overwhelming” allied response, Kim ‍said.

The allies will ​also develop‌ “operations,​ exercises, simulations, trainings, and investment activities” to bolster nuclear deterrence and ​response ‍capabilities on the‌ Korean Peninsula, according to a statement released ​after‌ the ⁣meeting.

Yoon said the NCG⁢ would ⁤be ‌a “starting point”⁢ to build a strong and⁤ effective deterrence ​against North Korea.

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China and ⁢North Korea have criticized the ⁤group’s formation​ as further ​raising tensions on the Korean‍ peninsula.

When asked​ whether⁣ South Korea will ​have a ​role in U.S.⁣ decision making,‍ a⁣ senior ⁤U.S. administration official told ​Reuters the group⁤ was more about sharing information.

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“A lot ⁣of the objective here is​ to ‍make sure ⁣that our South Korean allies have more transparency,‌ more access,⁤ more direct⁣ connection with planning, so that they can understand‌ how government officials have ​long been thinking about what goes into defense and deterrence for ‍South Korea,” the official said, speaking on condition of ​anonymity to discuss the‌ talks.

(Reporting by Hyonhee ‌Shin, Ju-min Park and Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Steve Holland ⁤and David Brunnstrom⁤ in Washington and Soo-hyang Choi in Seoul; ⁣Editing⁢ by Ed ​Davies, Stephen Coates, Lincoln Feast, Michael Perry and Tom⁣ Hogue)



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