US deploys second nuclear submarine to South Korea

The second US nuclear submarine deployed in South Korea, while tensions continue to rise on the peninsula, with no exit ramps in sight. Escorted by two US destroyers, from the USS Kentucky, the first US nuclear submarine arrived on July 19 at the port of Busan. In response, North Korea said US deployment of strategic assets could force Pyongyang to use nuclear weapons. The US submarine can be armed with 20 Trident ballistic missiles and 80 nuclear warheads. It is not known, however, whether the USS Kentucky currently has nuclear weapons on board.