The USS Ronald Reagan, an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, has arrived in the South Korean port of Busan.
It was accompanied by a number of smaller warships from its strike group.
This is the first time in four years that a supercarrier has operated in South Korea. The vessel forms part of US efforts to deter North Korea by placing more ‘strategic assets’ in the East Asian region. The carrier will take part in military drills in the region with South Korean forces.
In a press briefing, strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly described the deployment as ‘an opportunity for us to practise tactics and operation’, adding: ‘We are leaving messaging to diplomats.’
[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command/34787328856]