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ROK JCS		Press Release
Release Date	2023. 3. 23.(Mon) After distributing the photo		Distribution Date	2023. 3. 23.(Mon) 11:00
OPR	ROK JCS PAO		PAO Director	COL		Lee Sung Joon	(02-748-3060)
			Officer in Charge	Lt Col(p)		Choi Hoon Il	(02-748-3063)

※ Photo distribution : Around 17:00

ROK CJCS Visits USS Nimitz, Observes ROK-US Combined Carrier Strike Group Training and Emphasizes the Importance of Maintaining the ROK-US Combined Defense Posture and Decisive Response During Crisis

∙Alliance to respond resolutely to any and all enemy provocations or aggression by maintaining the steadfast ROK-US combined defense posture

∙Deployment of U.S. strategic assets to demonstrate the powerful extended deterrence commitment and capability

∙Encouragement for the ROK-U.S. sailors who are dedicating themselves to their training to enhance combined operations capabilities

ㅇ General Kim Seung Kyum, CJCS visited the USS Nimitz on the 27th of March	while the carrier conducted ROK-U.S. combined maritime training in international waters south of Jeju island. He inspected the training situation, and encouraged the sailors who are dedicating themselves through training to the growth of the combined maritime operations capabilities.

* The USS Nimitz was commissioned in 1975 and is under the flag of the U.S. Third Fleet (displacement 100,000 tons). The carrier is capable of carrying 90 air crafts including FA-18 (Super Hornet) and early warning A/Cs.

ㅇ Chairman Kim was briefed on the training situation and stressed that "North Korea  is severely threatening the Korean Peninsula and the regional security order through multiple ballistic missile launches including ICBMs, and implications of their offensive use of nuclear weapons through their self-proclaimed 'nuclear counterstrike tactical trainings'." As such, he emphasized that the "ROK-U.S. Alliance will respond in a resolute and overwhelming manner to any and all enemy provocations and aggression" and that "we will make it profoundly clear the following fact: any attempts of an enemy nuclear attack will surely mean the end of their regime."

ㅇ Further, Chairman Kim assessed the CSG deployment and training to be "clear	evidence of the execution power and ironclad will of the ROK-U.S. alliance regarding its combined defense posture and our deterrence against enemy provocation." He noted that "the ROK-U.S. alliance will continue to cooperate closely to thoroughly prepare against the enemy threat and to carry out the U.S. extended deterrence into action."

ㅇ The USS Nimitz's visit to the Republic of Korea took place as part of the	strengthened WS combined trainings and concerted efforts to demonstrate the steadfast ROK-US combined defense posture and to carry out the U.S. extended deterrence into action.