U.S. aircraft carrier to visit South Korea for first Navy drills near peninsula in 5 years

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U S aircraft carrier to visit South Korea for joint navy drills

U.S. Navy personnel and aircraft on board the USS Ronald Reagan in October 2019 in the South China Sea. Photo: Catherine Lai/AFP via Getty Images A U.S. carrier strike group will visit South Korea later this week for its first military drills with the South Korean Navy near the peninsula in five years, reported Monday citing Seoul officials. Why it matters: The upcoming drills will come amid concerns that to conduct its seventh nuclear test and its first since 2017.North Korea has previously toward U.S. Pacific territories in response to similar joint exercises. Carrier Strike Group 5 — including its flagship, the USS Ronald Reagan supercarrier — is expected to reach a naval base in Busan on Friday. What they're saying: "By conducting combined drills, the Navies of the two countries plan to strengthen their military readiness and demonstrate the firm resolve of the South Korea-U.S. alliance for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," the South Korean Navy said in a news release, according to Yonhap. The big picture: The USS Ronald Reagan joined two other U.S. supercarriers and the South Korean Navy for joint drills in the Philippine Sea in June, sparking denunciations from North Korea, according to the .The U.S. and South Korea militaries also held near the demilitarized zone in August.North Korea adopted a , which stated it would preemptively strike the U.S. or South Korea if they attempt to remove Kim Jong-un from power or compromise its nuclear weapon systems. Go deeper:

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