Mr. Steely White, who cycled up to Barclays jauntily holding an open umbrella and riding a black matte Dutch commuter bike whose weight he estimated at about 50 pounds, said the valet service has been a hit in other bike-friendly locales.

WSJ: Barclays Pedals Bike Valet Service

U.S. nuclear submarines ply the region's waters, however, and Washington makes clear that its so-called nuclear "umbrella" over South Korea is meant to deter an attack on its ally by North Korea, whose 1950 invasion ignited the three-year Korean War.

NPR: NKorea: Cold War History With US Justifies Nukes