U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth toured the Demilitarised Zone dividing the Korean peninsula on the opening day of a two-day security visit to ally South Korea.
At Observation Post Ouellette, near the Military Demarcation Line, Hegseth and South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back received a briefing from military commanders. The outpost, previously visited by several U.S. Presidents including Donald Trump in 2019, offers direct views into North Korea and encounters with American personnel.
The pair also visited Panmunjom Peace Village, where the 1950-53 Korean War armistice was signed. The visit “reaffirmed the solid combined defence posture and close coordination” between the allies, according to Seoul’s Defence Ministry.
Hegseth made no public reference to North Korea, which has declined engagement with Washington and Seoul while rapidly expanding its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
Separately, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Jin Yong-sung and his U.S. counterpart, General Dan Caine, oversaw a joint formation flight of South Korean and U.S. F-16 fighter jets over the major U.S. base in Pyeongtaek. The inaugural sortie was intended to demonstrate the allies’ “unbreakable combined defence posture”, Seoul’s Defence Ministry stated.
Hegseth and Minister Ahn, who met on Saturday at a defence ministers’ meeting in Malaysia, are scheduled to attend the annual South Korea-U.S. defence talks in Seoul on Tuesday.
The discussions are expected to address key alliance issues, including South Korea’s pledge to increase defence spending and implementing a previous agreement to transfer wartime operational control of allied forces to a binational command under a South Korean general with a U.S. deputy.
Concerns persist in Seoul that the Trump administration may demand significantly higher payments for the U.S. military presence in the country or potentially reduce America’s military footprint to concentrate more on China.
Hegseth’s visit follows Trump’s recent trip to South Korea for meetings with world leaders, including President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju.
During his meeting with Trump last Wednesday, Lee reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to increase defence spending to lessen the financial burden on the United States and sought U.S. support for South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine programme.
Trump subsequently stated on social media that the United States would share sensitive technology to enable South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, to be constructed at Philadelphia Shipyard, acquired last year by South Korea’s Hanwha Group. The leaders also progressed trade negotiations, addressing details of $350 billion in U.S. investments South Korea committed to in an effort to avoid the Trump administration’s highest tariffs.
Military Situation Report: Hegseth Visits Inter-Korean Border Ahead of Security Talks With South Korean Officials
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas on Monday as he began a two-day visit to ally South Korea for security talks.
Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back received a briefing from military officials at Observation Post Ouellette, a site near the military demarcation line that past U.S. presidents, including Donald Trump during his first term in 2019, had visited to peer across the border into North Korea and meet with American soldiers.
Hegseth and Ahn also visited the Panmunjom border village, where an armistice was signed to pause the 1950-53 Korean War. Ahn’s ministry said the visit “reaffirmed the firm combined defense posture and close coordination” between the allies.
Hegseth did not mention North Korea, which has ignored Washington and Seoul’s calls for dialogue in recent years while accelerating the expansion of its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
South Korea’s military also said Monday that the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung and his U.S. counterpart, Gen. Dan Caine, oversaw a combined formation flight aboard South Korean and U.S. F-16 fighter jets above a major U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek.
The flight, conducted for the first time, was intended to demonstrate the allies’ “ironclad combined defense posture” and the “unwavering” strength of the alliance, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said.
Hegseth and Ahn, who previously met on Saturday at a defense ministers’ meeting in Malaysia, will attend the allies’ annual defense talks in Seoul on Tuesday.
The talks are expected to cover key alliance issues, including South Korea’s commitment to increase defense spending and the implementation of a previous agreement to transfer wartime operational control of allied forces to a binational command led by a South Korean general with a U.S. deputy.
There are also concerns in Seoul that the Trump administration may demand much higher South Korean payments for the U.S. military presence in the country or possibly downsize America’s military footprint to focus more on China.
Hegseth’s visit comes days after Trump traveled to South Korea for meetings with world leaders, including South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju.
During his meeting with Trump on Wednesday last week, Lee reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to increase defense spending to reduce the financial burden on America and also called for U.S. support in South Korean efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Trump later said on social media that the United States will share closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, and that the vessel will be built in the Philly Shipyard, which was bought last year by South Korea’s Hanwha Group. The leaders also advanced trade talks, addressing details of $350 billion in U.S. investments South Korea committed to in an effort to avoid the Trump administration’s highest tariffs.
