Hegseth Says US Forces In South Korea Have Regional Flexibility
Samantha LuanDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that US forces stationed in South Korea remain primarily focused on deterring North Korea but acknowledged Washington retains "flexibility for regional contingencies," signaling potential roles beyond the Korean Peninsula amid rising tensions with China.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that US forces stationed in South Korea remain primarily focused on deterring North Korea but acknowledged Washington retains "flexibility for regional contingencies," signaling potential roles beyond the Korean Peninsula amid rising tensions with China.
Hegseth made the remarks when asked whether US troops could be used in a conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea.
"There's no doubt flexibility for regional contingencies is something we would take a look at," he told reporters alongside Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back.
Hegseth's comments come as Washington deepens coordination with allies across the Indo-Pacific to deter China. While he emphasized that the Korean Peninsula remains the alliance's center of gravity, US officials have said the military's role there should evolve beyond solely deterring North Korea.
Hegseth also praised Seoul's plans to boost military spending, including investments in missile defense and space capabilities, and said both sides will expand cooperation between defense labs to advance military technology.
"These investments would accelerate the ROK's ability to lead its conventional deterrence, and defense against North Korea," he said, using the acronym for Republic of Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung recently told Bloomberg News that South Korea plans to raise defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product from 2.3%, part of efforts to build independent national defense capabilities.
Hegseth is in Seoul for the annual Security Consultative Meeting — the final stop on an Asia tour that included Malaysia and Vietnam, and followed President Donald Trump's first regional trip of his second term. The talks came days after Trump finalized a trade deal with South Korea and approved Seoul's request to build a nuclear-powered submarine at a US shipyard.
Hegseth said the Pentagon would work with other agencies to carry out the pledge, calling it proof that "the president wants allies to be strong." A day earlier, Hegseth and Ahn visited the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula, marking the first joint visit by the two defense chiefs since 2017.
"Our forces remain ready to support President Trump's efforts to bring lasting peace through strength," Hegseth wrote on X after the visit. The DMZ is where Trump last met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2019, and the president said during his latest trip that he remains open to meeting Kim again.
