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The USS Annapolis has arrived at port on Jeju Island about a week after the USS Kentucky docked in the main port of Busan.
The Kentucky was the first US nuclear-armed submarine to come to South Korea since the 1980s. north korea It responded to its arrival by testing ballistic and cruise missiles in apparent demonstrations that it could conduct nuclear strikes against South Korea and deploy US Navy ships.
In-between these launches, North Korea’s defense minister issued a veiled threat insisting that Kentucky docking in South Korea could be cause for North Korea to use a nuclear weapon against it. North Korea has used the same rhetoric before, but the statement underscored how strained relations are now.
Annapolis, whose main mission is to destroy enemy ships and submarines, is powered by a nuclear reactor but armed with conventional weapons. The Annapolis is mainly docked in Jeju to load supplies, but Jang Do-young, a South Korean navy spokesman, said the US and South Korean militaries are discussing whether to arrange a training involving the ship.
Meanwhile, North Korea has remained publicly silent about the American soldier, Pvt. Travis King who crossed the border last Tuesday. US officials have expressed concern about his safety and said North Korea is ignoring their requests to provide basic information on King, including where he is being held and his condition.
Analysts say North Korea is waiting weeks or even months to provide meaningful information on King to increase leverage and urgency for US efforts to secure his release. Some say North Korea may try to extract concessions from Washington, such as tying his release to the US reducing its military activities with South Korea.
The United States and South Korea have expanded their joint military exercises and increased regional deployment of US strategic assets such as bombers, aircraft carriers and submarines in a show of force against North Korea, which has test-fired nearly 100 missiles since the start of 2022.
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