South Korea says North not a 'nuclear power' following Hegseth's confirmation hearing remarks

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South Korea says North not a 'nuclear power' following Hegseth's confirmation hearing remarks

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. AP/YONHAP]

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. AP/YONHAP]

 
Seoul stressed Wednesday that Pyongyang cannot hold nuclear state status, rejecting U.S. defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's reference to the North as a "nuclear power." 
 
“Under the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), North Korea can never hold the status of a nuclear-armed state,” the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement to the Korea JoongAng Daily on Wednesday. “We understand that the U.S. White House has confirmed there is no change in its position of not recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state."
 
It added, “North Korea is illegally developing nuclear weapons in violation of the NPT and related UN Security Council resolutions, and our government will continue to work closely with the international community to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization.”  
 
The Unification Ministry echoed this stance, emphasizing a "firm and united position" shared by the South Korean government and the international community on the goal of North Korea’s complete denuclearization and not recognizing it as a nuclear-armed state.
 

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Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” in his written responses to a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Washington Tuesday.
 
“The DPRK’s status as a nuclear power, its intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads, and its growing cyber capabilities all pose a threat to stability on the Korean Peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific region, and globally,” he wrote, using the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
 
U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hold hands during an encounter at the Panmunjom truce village along the inter-Korean border. [RODONG SHINMUN]

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hold hands during an encounter at the Panmunjom truce village along the inter-Korean border. [RODONG SHINMUN]

While North Korea is believed to possess a nuclear arsenal following six nuclear tests since 2006, U.S. officials have avoided formally recognizing Pyongyang as a nuclear power, arguing that doing so would legitimize its illicit weapons program and undermine global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation. Under the NPT, only the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France are officially recognized as “nuclear weapon states.” The term “nuclear power,” meanwhile, is often used to describe countries like India, Pakistan and Israel, which possess nuclear weapons but lack formal recognition under international law.
 
Hegseth’s choice of terminology has sparked concerns about a potential shift in U.S. policy under the Trump administration, which may explore negotiations to freeze or reduce North Korea’s nuclear arsenal rather than pursuing its complete denuclearization — a goal that Pyongyang has long sought.
 
Hegseth further said, “My only special interest is — the warfighter.” 
 
He identified Guam, a heavily fortified U.S. territory, as one of the most important strategic bases in the Indo-Pacific region. Analysts interpreted this as prioritizing the prevention of potential strikes on the U.S. mainland over efforts to denuclearize North Korea. 
 
Following Hegseth’s remarks, outgoing National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby clarified that the U.S. policy on North Korea's denuclearization "hasn’t changed."
 
“I can’t speak to what the incoming team will characterize it," Kirby said at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, adding, "We have not gone so far as to recognition.”   
 
The nomination of Hegseth, a former Fox News Channel host and retired Army major, sparked concerns about an "amateur" defense secretary taking charge of the world's most powerful military.
 
A protester holds a sign before Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. [AP/YONHAP]

A protester holds a sign before Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. [AP/YONHAP]

During his confirmation process, Hegseth mistakenly called South Korea, Japan and Australia members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Asean comprises 10 Southeast Asian nations, none of which include these countries.  
 
Despite the misstep, Hegseth emphasized the importance of burden-sharing among U.S. allies, saying, “Increased ally and partner defense spending and burden-sharing are critical to ensuring that our relationships are not one-sided.”
 
He also highlighted the role of U.S. allies in countering China's aggression in the region.
 
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, at the completion of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. [AP/YONHAP]

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, at the completion of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 14. [AP/YONHAP]

“We will work with our partners and allies to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific from the communist Chinese,” Hegseth said. 
 
He added that Trump said that shipbuilding will be an "absolute top priority" for his administration, emphasizing plans to “incentivize outside entities.”  
 
Trump expressed interest in cooperating with South Korea on shipbuilding to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Analysts suggest that if such cooperation is aimed at countering China, it could significantly change the size and focus of U.S. forces in South Korea. 
 
On Wednesday, South Korea, the United States and Japan conducted joint air drills, the first such exercise of the year, according to the South's defense ministry. The trilateral drills involved at least one U.S. B-1B bomber and South Korean F-15K and Japanese F-2 fighter jets.
 
The exercise followed North Korea's recent launches of hypersonic and short-range ballistic missiles.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
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