USS Theodore Roosevelt Arrives in South Korea for Joint Military Exercises

Busan, The Gulf Observer: The nuclear-powered United States aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has arrived in the port city of Busan to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan this month, the South Korean Navy announced.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt docked at the naval base in Busan, located 320 kilometers (198.83 miles) southeast of Seoul, early on Saturday. Accompanying the aircraft carrier were the Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Halsey and the USS Daniel Inouye, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News, citing South Korean naval sources.

This marks the first visit of a U.S. aircraft carrier to South Korea in seven months, following the November visit of the USS Carl Vinson.

The arrival precedes the inaugural trilateral multi-domain exercise, named Freedom Edge, set to take place later this month. This exercise is part of a collaborative effort by the three nations to enhance security cooperation in response to North Korean threats.

The decision to initiate the Freedom Edge exercise was made during trilateral talks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference held in Singapore earlier this month.

Furthermore, during the Camp David summit in August 2023, the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan agreed to conduct annual military training drills. They also condemned China’s “dangerous and aggressive behavior” in the South China Sea, underscoring the need for strengthened regional security collaboration.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s arrival and the upcoming exercises signify a continued commitment to joint defense and strategic cooperation among the United States, South Korea, and Japan, amidst growing regional security challenges.