A United States aircraft carrier strike group has been deployed off the coast of Korea, and is reportedly set to take part in naval drills. It comes as US officials voice concerns that Pyongyang could conduct a fresh nuclear test.
The USS Abraham Lincoln strike group is now operating near the Sea of Japan – also known as the East Sea – an unnamed US government figure told Reuters on Monday, following reports in South Korean media that the ships had been deployed to international waters in the region in an “apparent show of force.”
The vessels will meet up with the Japanese navy for military exercises in the coming days “to reassure allies and partners in the region,” the US official continued, with Reuters noting that the move comes as Washington is “increasingly concerned that North Korea could carry out an underground nuclear test.”