Hegseth Applauds South Korea’s Defense Push

Advanced  |  November  17,  2025

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South Korea Defence Spending and Alliance Shifts

On November 4, 2025, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Seoul and praised South Korea’s plan to significantly raise its defence spending and take a larger role in defending itself against North Korea’s aggression (foxnews.com).
During the talks with Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu‑back, Hegseth said he was “greatly encouraged” by Seoul’s commitment (foxnews.com).
President Lee Jae Myung also asked the parliament to approve an 8.2% increase in South Korea defence spending next year (foxnews.com).

What’s Changing in South Korea Defence Spending and the Alliance

The U.S.–South Korea alliance historically focused squarely on North Korea. Now, Hegseth made clear that while deterrence of North Korea remains the priority, “flexibility for regional contingencies” is also on the table. (reuters.com)
As part of this shift, Korea agreed to maintain and repair U.S. warships in its shipyards—leveraging Korea’s ship‑building strength to keep allied warships ready. (foxnews.com)

Implications for South Korea and the Region

For South Korea, the move underscores a push toward greater military self‑reliance. It signals a growing willingness to assume more of its own defence burden—that means less dependence on the U.S. and more leadership within the alliance. (abcnews.go.com)
For the U.S., this aligns with its strategy of encouraging allies to pull more weight—so Washington can allocate more resources toward other strategic theatres (e.g., China, the Indo‑Pacific). (apnews.com)
These adjustments in South Korea defence spending demonstrate how global alliances adapt to shifting security priorities.

What Could Make This Tricky

South Korea is still under the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” and has no nuclear weapons—its defence build‑up raises sensitive questions about escalation or neighbouring concerns. (abcnews.go.com)
While the plan is ambitious, details (such as the scale of ship‑repair agreement or transfer of wartime operational control) are still under negotiation. (reuters.com)
North Korea continues to conduct missile tests near the border, reminding both allies how unstable the security environment remains. (foxnews.com)

Vocabulary

Alloy (noun) – a combination of two or more materials forming a stronger unit.
- Example: “The U.S.–Korea defence relationship is an alloy of conventional and nuclear deterrence.”
Deterrence (noun) – the act of discouraging an action (often hostile) by fear of consequences.
- Example: “South Korea’s increased spending strengthens deterrence against North Korea.”
Conventional (adjective) – relating to standard or non‑nuclear military forces.
- Example: “Korea aims to improve its conventional deterrence.”
Contingency (noun) – a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
- Example: “The alliance plans for regional contingencies beyond the Korean peninsula.”
Self‑reliant (adjective) – able to depend on oneself.
- Example: “Seoul emphasised a self‑reliant defence posture.”
Burden‑sharing (noun) – the practice of distributing costs or responsibilities among participants.
- Example: “Increasing defence spending reflects greater burden‑sharing by Korea.”
Umbrella (noun) – a protection or coverage against danger or risk.
- Example: “Korea remains under the U.S. nuclear umbrella.”
Ambitious (adjective) – having a strong desire and determination to succeed.
- Example: “The defence budget increase is ambitious, given economic constraints.”
Escalation (noun) – a rapid increase or intensification of something, especially hostility or conflict.
- Example: “Analysts are watching for possible escalation if North Korea responds aggressively.”
Modernisation (noun) – the process of adapting something to modern needs or habits, often by applying new technologies or methods.
- Example: “Military modernisation is a key part of Korea’s defence plan.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

Why did Secretary Hegseth emphasise that South Korea should take a larger defence role?
In what ways is the U.S.–South Korea alliance evolving according to the article?
What are the benefits and risks of South Korea increasing its defence budget by 8.2 %?
How does the naval ship‑repair cooperation illustrate the changing dynamics of the alliance?
Why is “flexibility for regional contingencies” significant in this context?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

Should smaller or medium‑sized countries like South Korea be encouraged to take more responsibility for their own defence? Why or why not?
How does burden‑sharing among allies affect the balance of freedom vs dependency in international relations?
What role should the U.S. play in its alliances—watchdog, partner, or primary defender?
How might regional threats beyond North Korea (for example China, Taiwan) change the nature of the U.S.–Korea partnership?
From a libertarian perspective, how do you view large public defence spending increases—justified or in need of scrutiny?

Related Idiom

“Pull one’s weight” – doing one’s fair share of a job or responsibility.
Example: “South Korea is now pulling its weight by increasing defence spending and taking a larger role in the alliance.”

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This article was inspired by: Fox News (foxnews.com)