USS Carl Vinson visit demonstrates ironclad commitment to South Korea
Reuters
The USS Carl Vinson arrived in Busan, South Korea, for a scheduled port visit in early March, becoming the first United States Navy aircraft carrier to dock at a South Korean port in 2025.
The arrival of the aircraft carrier and its strike group demonstrates the solid South Korea-U.S. alliance and boosts the interoperability of the longtime allies’ combined assets, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy stated.
The visit is part of the U.S.’s ironclad commitment to extended deterrence and highlights the allies’ military readiness.
The nuclear-powered carrier, flagship of Carrier Strike Group One, was joined by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer, the ROK Navy said.
The port visit came just days after the North Korean regime said it had test-fired strategic cruise missiles and ordered full readiness to use its nuclear attack capability, according to state media. The United Nations Security Council has adopted multiple resolutions sanctioning North Korea over its illegal missile and nuclear programs since 2006.
The USS Carl Vinson, which last visited Busan in November 2023, is the first U.S. aircraft carrier to arrive in South Korea since June 2024, when the USS Theodore Roosevelt visited Busan for joint military exercises.
“Clearly our presence here in Busan shows the strong alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States, and our opportunity to train and operate together with our allies,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Michael S. Wosje, commander of Carrier Strike Group One.
“Every opportunity we have to sail together and fly together makes us stronger together,” Wosje said.
