US carrier strike group arrives in South Korea ahead of major joint military exercises

A US Navy carrier strike group has arrived in South Korea ahead of the major annual Foal Eagle series of joint military exercises with South Korea. The rare sight of ships from the US Navy’s Third Fleet in Busan comes right after the impeachment of the South Korean president and the deployment of a US missile defense system in the country, a development that’s stoked tensions with China. The United States super-carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived today at the South Korean port city of Busan.The USS Wayne E. Meyer, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, followed close behind. It was rare to see two ships from the US Navy’s Third Fleet make a port call in the Asia-Pacific region.Light YehFTV ReporterI’m currently standing inside the hanger on the USS Carl Vinson. This three-story high hangar houses the F-18 and other strike-fighter jets.A South Korean Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship was nearby preparing for joint exercises with the US Navy. The impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the US’s deployment of the THAAD missile defense system have ratcheted up tensions between China and South Korea. It remains to be seen whether the participation of US troops in the exercises will mitigate or aggravate regional tensions. Rear Adm. Bradley CooperUS Naval Forces Korea CommanderTHAAD is a defensive system, and it is well-established. It is agreed to by the United States and the Republic of Korea that the system has been deployed to the Republic of Korea for one purpose. That purpose is to defend the people of the Republic of Korea against ballistic missile attacks from North Korea, but the deployment of THAAD is independent of the Foal Eagle exercise series.With its own internal political system at a crossroads, South Korea is preparing to stage its military’s largest joint exercises with the United States. It’s worth watching how the arrival of the US carrier strike group in the country may affect conditions across the region.