The US and South Korean navies "share a strong partnership that is continually strengthened by routine interactions that enhance and foster our relationship," Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Naval Forces Korea, said in a statement Wednesday.
The USS Mississippi's commanding officer, Eric J. Rozek, said his team of about 150 sailors was "honored to be the first submarine to visit Jeju."
The Indo-Asia Pacific region deployment is part of "decades of exchange, training and collaboration," Rozek said, adding that bilateral cooperation helps "build capabilities that, taken together, enhance regional security and stability." While it's homeport is in Hawaii, the US Navy boasts that the Mississippi is able to operate globally.
Not everyone under and around the ocean is worried about the USS Mississippi posing an imminent threat. Video of a dolphin swimming alongside the 360-foot stealthy submarine was captured in July.
Dolphins Escort the USS Mississippi pic.twitter.com/B0IBhTzAWj
— Richard Leon 🇺🇸 (@raleon23) July 22, 2017
No dolphin escorts have yet been reported near Jeju, though.
