Hegseth says ‘flexibility’ needed for U.S. forces in South Korea

Amid the growing threat of conflict with China, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hinted Tuesday that Washington is eyeing “flexibility” for using American troops stationed in South Korea in the event of a “regional contingency.”

Hegseth, speaking at a joint news conference in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart, said that while “holding the line and protecting our ally” from North Korea remains the “core” of the two countries’ alliance, the U.S. was keeping an eye on “a lot of other threats in the world.”

“There’s no doubt that flexibility for a regional contingency is something we would take a look at,” Hegseth said.