Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that South Korea will play a bigger role in defense against North Korean aggression as Seoul pledged to step up its investment in military capabilities and increase defense spending.
Hegseth said he is “very encouraged” by South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-bak’s commitment to increase defense spending and invest “more” in the country’s military capability, including the “vital” missile defense and space capabilities “our forces need to maintain peace and, God forbid, win a war.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung Said It said in early October that South Korea would increase its defense spending by 8.2 percent next year to produce autonomous drones, precision-guided missiles and combat robots.
The US Defense Secretary said the alliance between Washington and Seoul is “stronger than ever” and advocated an agreement for maintenance and repair of US ships in South Korea.
“I am confident that we will continue to lead the region toward a more secure future,” Hegseth said.
Still, the essence of the alliance between Washington and Seoul is based on deterring Pyongyang’s aggression, said Hegseth, who visited the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea earlier in the week.
Ahn shut down the idea of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons program.
Last week, when announcing a trade deal, President Trump Said He allowed South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine in Philadelphia.
Hegseth said the US fully supports South Korea’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines and will work closely with the Pentagon Energy and State Departments.
“President Trump wants our allies to be strong, and the Republic of Korea is an ideal ally,” Hegseth said. “Because of that, the President is open to Korea getting more and more advanced capabilities.”
