U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that Washington would explore "flexibility" for American troops stationed in South Korea to address regional threats while maintaining the alliance’s core focus on deterring North Korea.
Speaking at a joint press briefing in Seoul with South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, Hegseth said the two allies were discussing adjustments to their military cooperation as part of efforts to strengthen deterrence and adapt to a changing regional security landscape.
When asked whether the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea could be used in operations beyond the Korean Peninsula, including potential conflicts involving China, Hegseth said that protecting against nuclear-armed North Korea remained the alliance’s central goal.
"But there's no doubt that flexibility for regional contingency is something we would take a look at," he said.
Hegseth confirmed that the two sides were working on a joint communique addressing defence costs, strategic cooperation, and South Korea’s growing military investments. The allies also agreed that South Korea would maintain and repair U.S. naval vessels, ensuring their readiness in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to back South Korea’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines was also discussed. Hegseth said the move reflected Trump’s desire to strengthen capable allies.
"He wants our allies to have the best capabilities," he said. "And because Korea has been a model ally, he's open to opportunities like that, that ensure they have the best capabilities in their own defence and alongside us as allies."
Hegseth declined to comment on details of Trump’s approval. South Korean officials have said they could launch a nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s if provided with fuel from the United States.
Addressing concerns that Seoul might pursue its own nuclear weapons, Ahn reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
"Therefore, there will be no development of nuclear weapons in the Republic of Korea," he said.
Hegseth’s comments came a day after he visited the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, where he met South Korean troops and Defence Minister Ahn. The visit, which included a tour of the Panmunjom truce village, underscored what Ahn called the "symbolic and declarative" strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The two defence chiefs held their annual Security Consultative Meeting on Tuesday, the highest-level forum for charting the future of the alliance. Discussions focused on combined defence readiness, cyber and missile defence cooperation, and adapting joint strategies to what Seoul’s Defence Ministry described as a "changing security environment and threats." In this context, Washington says is considering adjustments to the regional role of U.S. forces to support stability in Asia amid concerns over shifting security dynamics in the South China Sea.
Seoul remains measured about expanding the mission of U.S. troops beyond the peninsula but continues to advance its own defence capabilities, including plans to assume wartime operational control of combined forces.
South Korea, which has about 450,000 active troops, is planning its largest defence budget increase in years in 2026, partly in response to Trump’s calls for U.S. allies to pay more for hosting American forces.
On Monday, the two countries’ Joint Chiefs of Staff met and reaffirmed their cooperation with other allies to safeguard Indo-Pacific security. South Korea’s Defence Ministry described the regional environment as "complex and unstable," noting that North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear and missile arsenal despite repeated offers of dialogue from Trump and President Lee Jae Myung.
Taiwan has reported an unprecedented surge in cyberattacks originating from China, with an average of 2.63 million incidents a day recorded throughout...
President Ilham Aliyev has held talks in Baku with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress, focusing on regional peace efforts, expanding bilat...
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to abandon comments suggesting the United States should take over G...
World leaders and organisations have responded strongly to the United States’ military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and depar...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (4 January) that the United States could carry out further military action in Venezuela following the captu...
President Ilham Aliyev has held talks in Baku with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress, focusing on regional peace efforts, expanding bilateral ties and new transport corridors.
World leaders and organisations have responded strongly to the United States’ military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and departure of President Nicolás Maduro. Many condemn the action as a breach of international law and calling for restraint and peaceful resolution.
Residents in Catia La Mar, near Caracas, say homes were damaged or destroyed during a U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with authorities reporting an unspecified number of deaths.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that the Russia-Ukraine war is now threatening trade in the Black Sea.
Teenagers as young as 14 and 15 years old were among those who died in the bar fire on New Year's Eve that killed 40 people in Switzerland, police said on Sunday.
North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea, according to South Korea and Japan, as regional diplomacy and security concerns remain in focus.
The United States launched an overnight military operation in Venezuela and captured its long-serving President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said, pledging to place the country under temporary American control and signalling that U.S. forces could be deployed if necessary.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the U.S. operation in Venezuela.
Taiwan has reported an unprecedented surge in cyberattacks originating from China, with an average of 2.63 million incidents a day recorded throughout 2025, according to a new government report.
World leaders and organisations have responded strongly to the United States’ military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and departure of President Nicolás Maduro. Many condemn the action as a breach of international law and calling for restraint and peaceful resolution.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (4 January) that the United States could carry out further military action in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said Washington now effectively controls the country.
Swiss police have confirmed that all 40 victims of the New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the mountain resort of Crans-Montana have now been identified, with more than half of those killed being teenagers.
Myanmar’s military junta has granted amnesty to more than 6,000 prisoners nationwide as the country marked its 78th Independence Day, local media reported on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment