1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) of the 5th Carrier Strike Group in the afternoon of October 15th at the Naval Base in Busan, highlighting the ongoing bilateral cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. to strengthen U.S. extended deterrence and the combined defense posture.

2. Minister Park was greeted by Rear Admiral Pat Hannifin, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group 5, and Captain Daryle Cardone, Commander of the USS Ronald Reagan, visiting various parts of the carrier, including the hangar deck, flight deck, and control tower, and was provided with a detailed briefing on the operation of the ship.

3. Minister Park said, “the ROK-U.S. Alliance, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, has reached its pinnacle with President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S. in April,” and highlighted, “the visit of the USS Ronald Reagan vividly demonstrates the airtight ROK-U.S. security cooperation, which contributes to the security of the Korean Peninsula and regional peace and stability, as North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats are advancing and becoming more blatant than ever.” He also emphasized, “the enhanced regular visibility of the U.S. strategic assets will greatly strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance.”

4. Furthermore, Minister Park also appreciated that the successful ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral naval exercises on the occasion of the USS Ronald Reagan’s visit to the Peninsula was a concrete implementation of the spirit of the Camp David Summit in August, and assessed that the exercises would contribute to strengthening the trilateral security cooperation aimed at better addressing North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

5. Minister Park expressed his gratitude for the efforts of those present dedicating themselves to the ROK-U.S. Alliance, including the U.S. military commanders, and asked for their continued efforts to maintain the robust combined defense posture, saying, “just as the motto of the USS Ronald Reagan goes, ‘peace through strength,’ true peace can only be guaranteed by powerful strength.”

6. Commander Pat Hannifin of Carrier Strike Group 5 noted, “the U.S. Navy and our carrier strike group have a long and productive history with our Korean allies, and our port visit here is the latest opportunity to strengthen the relationships between our people and navies.” He also demonstrated his strong will to enhance the capability to respond to North Korean threats including through combined exercises, reminding, “the alliance between the U.S. and the ROK has become the linchpin of peace and security in the region since the establishment of our Mutual Defense Treaty in October of 1953.”