US submarine arrives in South Korea amid tensions over North Korea

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea on Monday (July 24), only days after the first U.S. nuclear armed submarine made port in the country in four decades, as the two allies seek 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 during a news briefing.

The USS Kentucky, a U.S. ballistic missile submarine, made port in South Korea last Tuesday (July 18). It was the first visit since the 1980s of a U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and coincided with the launch of talks between the U.S. and South Korea to coordinate responses in the event of a nuclear war with North Korea.

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Wednesday (July 19) hours after the USS…