US Nuclear Submarines to Be Deployed in South Korea for First Time in 40 Years
US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol are set to sign an agreement that partially includes a plan to send US nuclear submarines to South Korean ports for the first time in more than 40 years, Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
According to senior officials in the Biden administration, the submarine deployment will be a key element of the "Washington Declaration," aimed at deterring North Korea.
Sources from the agency noted that aides to both presidents have been working on the plan's details for several months and agreed that a "clear demonstration of force" and deterrent capabilities from the US should be a crucial part of the agreement.
The US and South Korea are also planning to enhance coordination of nuclear response strategies in the event of an attack from North Korea. It was noted that the US will maintain operational control over all armaments, while nuclear weapons will not be stationed on South Korean territory.