U.S. warship reaches South Korea, fueling concerns over intensifying defense alliance between Russia and North Korea
The nuclear-equipped USS Theodore Roosevelt made its way to Busan's port on a Saturday, setting the stage for trilateral exercises with South Korea and Japan in close proximity to the peninsula.
The Freedom Edge exercises, initiated by the defense chiefs of the US, South Korea, and Japan prior to Vladimir Putin's high-profile jaunt to Pyongyang last week, stemmed from their agreement. However, the forceful language in the joint statement issued Monday underlines the serious concern these partners have regarding the new "strategic alliance" forged between North Korea and Russia during Putin's visit.
Beyond striking a defense deal with Kim Jong Un, Putin also linked Korea Peninsula security to Russia's incursion into Ukraine, hinting at arming North Korea should South Korea offer military assistance to Kyiv.
The US, South Korea, and Japan "vehemently denounce the intensifying military collaboration between the DPRK and Russia," the joint statement declared, employing the acronym for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
Strengthened ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, and the mutual defense pact "merit serious concern for anyone invested in preserving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding the global non-proliferation regime, and supporting the people of Ukraine as they battle Russia's brutal hostilities," the statement continued.
The joint statement followed an outpouring of concern from all three parties, including South Korea condemning the treaty and summoning Russia's ambassador on Friday, a move that underscores the deteriorated state of relations between Seoul and Moscow.
The aircraft carrier's arrival in Busan is part of a series of military moves by the US to underscore its unwavering promise to its treaty ally, South Korea.
In the recent past, US Air Force B-1B bombers took part in a live-fire exercise on the peninsula – the first time such long-range strike aircraft had dropped live ammunition in South Korea in seven years. Furthermore, a US Air Force AC-130 gunship conducted live-fire strikes on the same range where the B-1s exploded their ordnance.
Joint drills with the US have consistently been a source of resentment and provocation for North Korea, which has persisted with its illicit nuclear weapons program and missile tests under Kim, who has found common ground with Putin.
Russia, once an advocate for sanctions on North Korea, has used its veto power in the United Nations this year to shield Pyongyang from further investigation. Putin has frequently backed Kim's stance.
"This aggressively confrontational policy by the US to enhance its military infrastructure in the region was accompanied by significant increases in the intensity and scale of military drills involving South Korea and Japan that are antagonistic towards North Korea," Putin stated in Pyongyang on a Wednesday.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt's visit to Busan marks the second time a Nimitz-class carrier has visited South Korea in seven months, as the USS Carl Vinson did last November.
With approximately 5,000 individuals aboard, the Roosevelt features an air wing of over 60 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters.
The Roosevelt's presence, along with its carrier strike group of supporting naval vessels, demonstrates the firm combined defense stance and resolute determination of the South Korea-US alliance to counter the advancing threat from North Korea, according to a statement from the South Korean military.
Neither the US nor South Korea have provided specifics or exact dates for the forthcoming Freedom Edge exercise. However, the three partners have been collaborating more closely, including and not limited to exercises involving forces from all three nations.
The Pentagon gave a clue about the timetable for the Freedom Edge exercise on Sunday, stating that the Roosevelt would exit the Indo-Pacific theater the following week, bound for the Middle East to replace the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eisenhower departed the region on Saturday after over seven months of operations that included assaults on Houthi targets in Yemen to safeguard commercial shipping in the region from the Iran-backed group's missiles and drones.
The movement of the Roosevelt from the western Pacific leaves only one US carrier in the region temporarily, the USS Ronald Reagan, which is based in Yokosuka, Japan.
Read also:
The strategic alliance between North Korea and Russia, as highlighted by Putin's visit, is a cause of concern for the world, particularly in Asia, as it may pose a threat to peace and stability in the region.
Despite the escalating defense alliance between Russia and North Korea, the US, South Korea, and Japan remain committed to maintaining a strong presence in the region and upholding global non-proliferation efforts.
