A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Columbia, arrived in South Korea on Monday, November 18, for what is officially described as a refueling mission.
The 6,000-ton submarine is docked at the Busan naval base, located 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to Ziare.
While refueling takes place, the USS Columbia crew will participate in joint activities with the South Korean navy, according to local media reports cited by Yonhap.
This visit follows the arrival of another U.S. nuclear submarine, the USS Virginia, at the same base two months earlier.
Collaboration With Russia
The presence of the USS Columbia comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in October and continues to send garbage-filled balloons across the border into South Korea.
South Korean experts suggest that North Korea’s growing military collaboration with Russia may be contributing to the region’s instability.
Reports indicate that over 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to assist Russia in the war in Ukraine. In return, Moscow is allegedly sharing ballistic and nuclear technology with Pyongyang.
The deployment of U.S. nuclear submarines to the region signals a strengthened alliance between South Korea and the United States.
It is also a show of force aimed at deterring North Korean aggression and countering its collaboration with Russia.
