The US Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine USS Annapolis arrived in South Korea on Monday and entered the naval base on Jeju Island, the South Korean Navy said.
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It is reported that the visit of the submarine to the port takes place in order to replenish supplies during an operational mission and against the backdrop of increased coordination between the United States and South Korea.
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“With the visit of USS Annapolis, the South Korean and US navies plan to strengthen joint defenses and hold exchange activities in honor of the 70th anniversary of the South Korean-American alliance,” the military said.
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The USS Annapolis arrived in South Korea just days after the U.S. Navy Ohio-class strategic nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky left the port of Busan. It was reported that her port call was the first in decades.
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The leaders of South Korea and the United States, following the summit in April, adopted the Washington Declaration, which provides for the creation of a nuclear advisory group to strengthen extended deterrence, develop specific plans for its use, discuss nuclear and strategic planning, and respond to threats to the nonproliferation regime from North Korea. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening relations in the field of joint defense.
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South Korea also secured a US promise to promptly deploy “the entire force of the alliance,” including nuclear weapons, in the event of a nuclear attack by the DPRK.
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South Korean President Yoon Sok-yeol also said that the United States will deploy strategic weapons on the Korean Peninsula in a “permanent and routine” manner, and US President Joe Biden confirmed that American nuclear submarines will periodically enter the ports of South Korea.
