US aircraft carrier due to arrive in South Korea on Thursday

SEOUL: The United States (US) nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is expected to dock at the South Korean port of Busan this week, South Korea’s defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The carrier is due to arrive on Thursday in Busan and remain there until Oct 16, the ministry said.

Last year, the US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for the first time in about four years, joining other military vessels in a show of force intended to send a message to North Korea.

The South Korean and US navies held joint maritime drills with Japan’s defence force in waters near South Korea’s Jeju Island on Monday and Tuesday, the South Korean navy said.

Read more: Second US submarine arrives in South Korea amid North Korea tensions

The trilateral drills, which are the first of this kind since 2016, are aimed at deterring and responding to North Korea’s “advancing nuclear and missile threats”, the navy said in a press statement.

Earlier in July this year, US nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea as the two allies sought to boost American strategic assets to deter North Korea.

The USS Annapolis entered a naval base in South Korea’ southern island of Jeju, to load military supplies while on an unspecified operational mission, the South Korean navy said.