The
USS Annapolis entered a naval base in South Korea' southern
island of Jeju, to load military supplies while on an
unspecified operational mission, the South Korean navy said.
"The two countries' navies plan to strengthen the combined
defence posture with the arrival of the USS Annapolis, and
conduct exchange activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary
of the alliance," it said in a statement.
The USS Kentucky, a U.S. ballistic missile submarine, made port
in South Korea last Tuesday. It was the first visit since the
1980s of a U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)
and coincided with the launch of talks between the U.S. and
South Korea to coordinate responses in the event of a nuclear
war with North Korea.
North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Wednesday hours
after the USS Kentucky's visit, and again fired several cruise
missiles on Saturday.
The USS Annapolis is not nuclear-armed unlike the USS Kentucky
and specialises in anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare, and
joined trilateral anti-submarine exercises with South Korea and
Japan last September in international waters off the Korean
peninsula.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by
Michael Perry)
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