An American official stated that the strike group of the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln" is active in the waters off the Korean Peninsula. This comes after South Korean media reported the deployment of the ships amid tensions over North Korea's missile tests. The official noted that the group is in the Sea of Japan conducting exercises with Japanese forces to reassure allies and partners in the region, according to Reuters.
This move comes as U.S. officials express growing concern that North Korea may conduct an underground nuclear test in the coming days. This is the first time since 2017 that a carrier strike group has been sent to the waters between South Korea and Japan. In that year, the U.S. aircraft carriers "Ronald Reagan," "Theodore Roosevelt," and "Nimitz," along with their multi-ship strike groups, were deployed in a show of force following North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons tests.
According to unnamed sources cited by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, the "Abraham Lincoln" carrier is expected to operate in the area for about three to five days. In response to South Korean media reports published on Monday, a spokesperson for U.S. forces stationed in South Korea stated that they would not comment on planned or ongoing exercises. The South Korean Ministry of Defense acknowledged that the aircraft carrier is in international waters but refrained from commenting on the reports as they pertain to U.S. military assets. North Korea has previously criticized U.S. military exercises as war rehearsals, claiming that they exacerbate tensions.
