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Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth says US troopers could also be utilized in regional conflicts however defending in opposition to North Korea will stay the precedence.
Revealed On 4 Nov 2025
The USA defence secretary has visited South Korea to debate the international locations’ navy alliance.
On a visit that included a go to to the demilitarised zone with North Korea, Pete Hegseth on Tuesday praised Seoul’s plans to lift defence spending and confirmed that US troops based mostly in South Korea could possibly be used to face regional threats.
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Hegseth stated the 28,500 US troopers stationed in South Korea could be utilized in conflicts past the peninsula, together with with China, however defending in opposition to nuclear-armed North Korea stays the alliance’s major objective.
“There’s little doubt that flexibility for regional contingency is one thing we might check out,” Hegseth stated whereas standing alongside his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back.
US officers have signalled plans to make US forces extra versatile in response to a broadening vary of points, reminiscent of defending Taiwan or China’s rising navy attain.
South Korea, which has 450,000 troopers, has resisted the concept that the function of US troops may change. But it surely has additionally labored to increase its defence capabilities with the objective of with the ability to tackle a wartime command of mixed US-South Korean forces.
Boosted funds
Hegseth stated the 2 international locations have been nonetheless engaged on a joint communique anticipated to deal with defence prices, including that higher navy investments by South Korea have been mentioned.
In a parliamentary handle on Tuesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung introduced giant will increase in defence and AI spending.
Lee stated subsequent 12 months’s defence funds will develop by 8.2 % to 66.3 trillion gained ($46bn), its greatest enhance in six years.
The nation may also triple spending on synthetic intelligence with an allocation of 10.1 trillion gained ($7bn) to facilitate “a significant transformation aimed toward propelling South Korea into the ranks of the world’s high three AI powers” alongside the US and China.
Total, the funds plan totals 728 trillion gained ($510bn), an 8.1 % enhance from this 12 months.
The pair has additionally agreed to have South Korea preserve and restore US ships, permitting them to remain within the space and be prepared if wanted, Hegseth stated.
The US official additionally urged President Donald Trump will assist South Korean plans to construct nuclear-powered submarines though he declined to present particulars.
South Korea has stated it may launch a nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s if supplied with gasoline from the US.
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