US guided-missile submarine arrives in ROK as DPRK tensions increase

World Today

The USS Michigan,­ a U.S. Navy submarine, pulled into a Republic of Korea port Tuesday, as tensions remain high between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

The 170-meter long nuclear powered submarine, now docked in the Southwestern city of Busan, carries around 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles –­ each capable of striking the DPRK. Meantime, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group is making its way toward the Korean Peninsula.

The United States and other countries have pushed for the DPRK to abandon its nuclear program. The U.S. show of force comes as the DPRK has threatened more missile launches and nuclear tests.

Tuesday’s 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army passed without a nuclear test or missile launch, but U.S. military forces conducted a live fire exercise with ROK forces.

A news reader on the DPRK state controlled KRT news network issued a sternly worded warning:

“Now that the U.S. has pulled out its sword to kill us, we will also pull out our grand sword of justice and fight till the end, and we will kill the U.S. imperialists with our strong and revolutionary power. Our nuclear forces stand at the core,” the news reader said.

Also on Tuesday, representatives from the U.S., Japan and the ROK met in Tokyo for what has been described as a brainstorming session on the DPRK issue.

“We agreed among the three of us that we will coordinate all actions, diplomatic, military, economic, regarding North Korea we will continue to work very closely among the three of us together as well as with our international partners,” Joseph Yun, a senior diplomat representing the United States in the talks said.

Amidst the sabre rattling, China continues to call for calm.

“We hope that all parties, including Japan, can work with China to promote an early peaceful resolution of the issue, play the role, and put forth the effort, and assume the responsibility that they should,” said Geng Shuang , spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On Wednesday, the White House will take the unusual step of hosting all 100 U.S. senators for a briefing on the DPRK issue. The U.S. secretaries of state and defense will lead the meeting.