SEOUL — The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier docked at a naval base in Busan, South Korea, on Tuesday, a significant show of U.S. military presence in the region. This arrival coincides with heightened tensions following North Korea's notification to Japan of an impending space rocket launch.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the nuclear-powered vessel of Carrier Strike Group 1 entered the Busan base, situated 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The move comes in response to North Korea's planned rocket launch between Wednesday and December 1, marking its third attempt this year after two failed efforts in May and August to deploy a military spy satellite. South Korea had previously warned North Korea on Monday to halt preparations for the launch. Rear Adm. Kim Ji-hoon, director of the maritime operations center at the ROK Fleet, emphasized the visit's significance in demonstrating the solid defense posture and resolve of the South Korea-U.S. alliance against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
The USS Carl Vinson's visit, its first since 2017, follows the arrivals of the USS Nimitz in March and the USS Ronald Reagan in October, marking the third U.S. aircraft carrier visit to South Korea this year. These visits align with the United States' efforts to strengthen its defense commitment to South Korea amid escalating threats from North Korea. The Washington Declaration, issued in April by President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden, committed to enhancing the "regular visibility" of U.S. strategic assets in South Korea.
Seoul's defense ministry is closely monitoring the potential for North Korea to execute its rocket launch on the first day of the announced window. Defense ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou noted that North Korea's previous launches this year occurred on the first day of their respective windows, typically in the early morning. The ministry is also considering weather conditions as a factor in the timing of the launch. Historically, North Korea has notified relevant countries and the International Maritime Organization of its planned launches six times since 2009, with launches typically occurring within the first three days of the announced window.