The United States defence secretary has visited South Korea to discuss the countries’ military alliance.

On a trip that included a visit to the demilitarised zone with North Korea, Pete Hegseth on Tuesday praised Seoul’s plans to raise defence spending and confirmed that US troops based in South Korea could be used to face regional threats.

Hegseth said the 28,500 US soldiers stationed in South Korea might be used in conflicts beyond the peninsula, including with China, but protecting against nuclear-armed North Korea remains the alliance’s primary goal.

“There’s no doubt that flexibility for regional contingency is something we would take a look at,” Hegseth said while standing alongside his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back.

US officials have signalled plans to make US forces

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