U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on the 11th (local time) that he will include in the new National Defense Strategy (NDS) to be announced this summer a commitment to expand the security burden of allied countries.
The NDS is a document that sets the defense priorities of the U.S. in light of major threats it faces and presents strategies to deter those threats. It is typically drafted when a new administration takes office.
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on defense held in Washington, D.C., Secretary Hegseth noted, “We have established a temporary defense strategy focused on sharing security burdens with allies and partners to respond to the encroaching threats (from China) in the Indo-Pacific region.”
He added, “Allied countries are strengthening their defense investments, allowing the U.S. to concentrate on specific areas.”
Secretary Hegseth emphasized that “we are urging each ally and partner to increase their own defense investments while strengthening our relationships with them,” citing that this investment expansion is crucial for deterring China.
Earlier in March, The Washington Post (WP) reported that the 'temporary defense strategy guidelines' prepared by the U.S. Ministry of National Defense prioritized preparations against a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and the defense of the U.S. mainland. It also indicated that other threat factors, including North Korea, would be managed by allies rather than direct responses from the U.S.
Elbridge Colby, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense leading the establishment of the NDS, has claimed that while the U.S. will continue to provide extended deterrence (nuclear umbrella) to protect Korea from North Korean nuclear weapons, Korea should take on a more proactive role in defending against North Korea's conventional threats.
Meanwhile, Secretary Hegseth requested a budget of $50 billion (approximately 68 trillion won) for nuclear force modernization and maintenance and $12 billion (approximately 16 trillion won) for nuclear command, control, and communication systems for the 2026 fiscal year.
He stated, “To respond to the challenges we face and maintain a strong deterrent, we must not only maintain our three traditional nuclear axes (intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers) but also complete the modernization of our nuclear arsenal that has taken decades.”