For the first time in decades, the United States has deployed a nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) to South Korea, a significant move as the allies discuss coordinated responses in the face of North Korea’s nuclear threats.
In a joint declaration during a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and US President Joe Biden in April, the deployment of an American nuclear submarine to South Korean waters was announced. White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell confirmed the rare visit during the first Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) discussion in Seoul.
Historical Context and Demonstrating Resolve
This deployment follows agreements reached by the two countries’ presidents in April, aimed at countering North Korea’s growing nuclear threat. It also involves establishing a bilateral NCG and expanding military exercises.
In the late 1970s, during the Cold War, US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines frequently visited South Korea, demonstrating the presence of hundreds of nuclear warheads in the region. However, in 1991, the US withdrew all nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea’s defense ministry hailed the USS Kentucky’s arrival at the port of Busan as a demonstration of the US’s commitment to “extended deterrence,” promising to employ its full military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to safeguard its allies.
Heightened Tensions and Consultative Group Meeting
North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have escalated significantly, evident in its threats to use nuclear weapons in conflicts with rival nations and conducting approximately 100 missile tests in the last year alone. The recent test of a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the mainland US heightened concerns.
In response to these threats, South Korean and US officials held the inaugural meeting of the NCG in Seoul, focusing on ways to strengthen deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear provocations. Both countries emphasized that any nuclear attack by North Korea on the US or its allies would be intolerable and lead to the end of the regime.
