The United States will look at “flexibility” for US troops stationed in the country to operate against regional threats, but the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
He spoke alongside his South Korean counterpart Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back during a visit to South Korea that earlier included a trip to the Demilitarised Zone on the border with North Korea.
When asked whether the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea might be used in any conflicts beyond the peninsula, Hegseth said that protecting against nuclear-armed North Korea is the goal of the alliance.
“But there’s no doubt that flexibility for regional contingency is something we would take a look at,” he said.
US officials have signalled a plan to make US forces more flexible to potentially operate outside the Korean peninsula in response to a broader range of threats.
South Korea has resisted the idea of shifting the role of US troops, but has worked to grow its defence capabilities, with the goal of being able to take on a wartime command of the combined US-South Korean forces. South Korea has 450,000 troops.
Hegseth said the two sides were still working on a joint communique expected to address talks about defence costs and other issues, adding they had discussed South Korea making greater military investments.
The allies had also agreed to have South Korea maintain and repair US ships, allowing them to stay in the area and be ready if needed, he said.
US President Donald Trump’s decision to support South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines was driven by his desire to have strong allies, Hegseth said.
“He wants our allies to have the best capabilities,” Hegseth 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.”
South Korean officials have said they could launch a nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s if provided with fuel from the United States.
When asked about concerns that South Korea could pursue its own nuclear bombs, Ahn noted it was a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Therefore, there will be no development of nuclear weapons in the Republic of Korea,” he said. — Reuters
