US sends aircraft carrier to South Korea amid heightened N. Korea threats

U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrives at a naval base in Busan, March 2, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) - The USS Carl Vinson, a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, arrived at a South Korean naval base on Sunday, marking the first visit by a U.S. carrier to the country since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

The vessel, part of Carrier Strike Group 1, docked at the port in Busan, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Sterett.

The South Korean military described the visit as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce Washington's extended deterrence commitment to South Korea and to strengthen the allies’ joint defense posture in response to persistent threats from North Korea.

South Korean and U.S. forces plan to use the visit to enhance interoperability between their naval forces and conduct a series of cooperative military activities, the South Korean Navy said.

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, the United Nations Command, and the Combined Forces Command, underscored the significance of the carrier’s deployment in maintaining regional security.

“The Carl Vinson’s carrier strike group operations demonstrate our commitment to bolster the defense of allies and partners, and strengthen our ability to ‘fight tonight and win,’” Brunson said after observing flight operations aboard the carrier.

“This visit, especially when coupled with realistic, all-domain joint and combined training, increases interoperability and ensures we build the readiness posture to deter aggression and maintain stability in the Republic of Korea and the region.”