Amid Korea tensions, US flexes muscles in East Sea with naval strike group

ANKARA

A US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entered the East Sea on Tuesday amid growing tensions on the Korean peninsula, local media reported.

The USS Abraham Lincoln strike group was seen in the international waters of the East Sea near South Korea's southeastern city of Ulsan after recent North Korean missile tests, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

This came ahead of Pyongyang celebrating the 110th birth anniversary of its late founding leader Kim Il-sung on Friday, along with the anniversary of the North Korean People's Revolutionary Army.

The aircraft carrier group is expected to remain in the East Sea for the next few days, the agency reported, citing "informed sources."

This is the first time in five years that the US sent a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the East Sea.

South Korea is a close ally of Washington, with thousands of US troops stationed in Seoul under a security agreement between the two nations.

Tensions have mounted in the Korean peninsula as both the north and south conduct frequent military drills in a show of military might.

This year alone, North Korea has conducted more than 10 missile tests, including that of a newly developed hypersonic missile.

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid