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A U.S navy strike group has been deployed to move towards the Korean peninsula as a show of force

A U.S. Navy strike group will be moving toward the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula as a show of force, a U.S. official told Reuters on Saturday, as concerns grow about North Korea's advancing weapons program.

with North Korea responding:

"We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms," the foreign ministry spokesman said.

"We will hold the US wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions."

Question: are there any instances of the Obama administration doing the same "show of force" moves on North Korea?

Note: To define what I mean by "show of force moves": any political sanctions or military deployments with the intention of intimidating North Korea.

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  • Do joint military excercises with South Korea count?
    – user4012
    Apr 13, 2017 at 11:34
  • I would certainly think so, if the intention was to intimidate North Korea.
    – Bradley Wilson
    Apr 13, 2017 at 11:35
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    Yeah the joint military exercises has been one of the most contentious issues for North Korea. That "show of force" clearly didn't work, and Trump's threats to attack North Korea is, in my opinion, even worse. If that happens, there might be a pretty high chance that North Korea launches a couple of nukes on South Korea and Japan. And boy am I glad I don't live in either of those 3 countries.
    – dan-klasson
    Apr 13, 2017 at 12:05
  • Hasn't the DMZ been a de-facto "show of force" for the past 5 decades?
    – user1530
    Apr 13, 2017 at 17:41
  • Perhaps "deploying" by having the cited vessels thousands of miles away and moving in an opposite direction (as of when the question was posted) wasn't quite the "show of force" that was promised.
    – PoloHoleSet
    Sep 8, 2017 at 13:52

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Since 1976 there has been an annual military exercise known as Foal Eagle (formerly known as Team Spirit) that has taken place in the Korean area. One of its primary purposes is to be a show of force to the North Koreans. It involves large scale naval and amphibious maneuvers with both American and South Korean forces. It has gone on ever year (with the exception of a short stretch from 1994 to 1996), so every president since Carter has presided over these exercises.

This military exercise also draws out a (generally aggressive and threatening) response from North Korea, to which the States will frequently respond to with even larger shows of force (IE sailing an aircraft carrier through the area, or flying some bombers overhead). Thus far there has been no actual shooting or deaths in these moments.

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  • This will give you more information on the intent of Foal Eagle. thediplomat.com/2016/03/…
    – Drunk Cynic
    Apr 13, 2017 at 13:59
  • "Foal Eagle".... sounds as nefarious as "Jade Helm." No wonder Kim Jong Un is so alarmed.
    – PoloHoleSet
    Apr 13, 2017 at 19:02

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