The nuclearization of the US-South Korea military alliance took its first visible step this morning, when the US 7th Fleet announced in a press release that the commanders of the submarine forces of both South Korea and japan were taken the ballistic missile submarine USS Maine in Guam for a tour of the boat and a discussion of its capabilities. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Vice Adm. Tateki Tawara, commander of Japan’s Fleet Submarine Force, and Rear Adm. Su Youl Lee, commander of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Submarine Force, were hosted by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Rick Seif, the commander of the 7th Fleet’s Submarine Group 7. This was the first time such a trilateral visit of submarine force commanders had been hosted by the U.S. Navy, the press release said. The release included a photograph of the three officers in the submarine’s control room.