US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea, docks at Busan as warning to North

AUSaircraftcarrierarrived inSouthKoreaon Friday for the first time in about four years, set to join other military vessels in a show of force intended to send a message toNorthKorea. USSRonald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike group docked at a naval base in thesouthern port city of Busan ahead of joint drills withSouthKorean forces.

Its arrival marks the most significant deployment yet under a new push to have moreU.S. "strategic assets" operate in the area to deterNorthKorea.

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Strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly told reporters aboard the ship that the visit was designed to build allied relations and boost interoperability between the navies.

"We are leaving messaging to diplomats," he said, when asked about any signal toNorth Korea, but added that joint drills would ensure the allies were able to respond to all threats.

"It's an opportunity for us to practice tactics and operations," Donnelly said.

SouthKorean President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed for more joint exercises and other displays of military power as awarningtoNorthKorea, which this year conducted a record number of missile tests and appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.

NorthKoreahas denounced previousU.S. military deployments and joint drills as rehearsals for war and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. The drills have also sparked protests by peace activists who say they raise regional tensions.

Last week, the United States said thecarrier's visit was a "clear demonstration" of its commitment to deploy and exercise strategic assets to deter Pyongyang and enhance regional security.

In announcing the visit, however, theUSNavy made no mention ofNorthKorea, referring only to a "regularly scheduled port visit" and emphasising crew members visiting Busan to volunteer at orphanages and explore the K-pop music scene.

Officials declined to provide details of the upcoming joint drills, but said thecarrierwould be in port for "several days." Just hoursafter the ship docked, long lines of crewmembers formed as they took COVID-19 tests before being bussed into the city.

One crew member, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said that they were looking forward to a break but that the geopolitical tensions were a constant presence.

"You can't ever really forget what we're all here for," the crew member told Reuters.

The visit is the first toSouthKoreaby an Americanaircraftcarriersince 2018. Many drills were since scaled back or cancelled due to diplomatic efforts withNorthKoreaor because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thecarriervisit is useful for political signalling, reassuring Seoul, and training withSouthKorean forces, but likely does little to further deterNorthKorea, said Mason Richey, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.

"Acarriergroup visit certainly doesn't do much - in fact, it likely does the opposite - to discourage Pyongyang from developing more nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as well as conventional capabilities," he said.

It nevertheless underscores that under Yoon the allies see tighter military coordination and interoperability as the best way to deal withNorthKorea, Richey added.

Questions have risen over the role the roughly 28,500UStroops stationed inSouthKoreamight play if conflict erupts over Taiwan.

Donnelly said such questions are for policymakers above him, but said that operating with like-minded allies such asSouthKoreais a key part of theUSNavy's efforts to maintain the regional security and stability that has existed for more than seven decades.