Pentagon stresses 'primary' alliance focus on N. Korea, 'shared priorities' over 'broader regional' threats
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WASHINGTON — The "primary" focus of the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains on deterring North Korea, but the allies continue to cooperate to align their "shared defense priorities" to respond to the "broader" regional security environment, a Pentagon press secretary said Friday.
Press secretary Kingsley Wilson made the remarks in response to Yonhap News Agency's question over the meaning of joint efforts by Seoul and Washington to "modernize" the alliance at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump's administration prioritizes deterring an increasingly assertive China.
"While the primary focus remains on deterring North Korean aggression, we continue to work closely with the Republic of Korea to align our shared defense priorities in response to the broader regional security environment," she said in a statement.
She added that the U.S. Defense Department remains committed to a "modern, strategically sustainable" South Korea-U.S. alliance that "can address today's and tomorrow's security challenges."
"Alliance modernization includes adapting our combined posture, deepening interoperability and expanding cooperation across domains to ensure credible deterrence on the Korean Peninsula and beyond," she said.