Pete Hegseth, 44, whom U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated as Secretary of Defense, referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power.” He also mistakenly identified South Korea and Japan, key allies in Asia, as members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Hegseth made the remarks in written answers submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing on January 14. Incoming President Donald Trump nominated Hegseth — a former Fox News Channel host and Army veteran with tours in Guantánamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan — in November.
“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. DPRK is short for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The term he used, “nuclear power,” differs from “nuclear weapon state,” a designation reserved for the five officially recognized nuclear-armed nations (U.S., China, Russia, UK, and France). Instead, it refers to countries like India, Pakistan, and Israel, which possess nuclear weapons but are not officially recognized as nuclear weapon states. If Hegseth knowingly used the term, it implies the possibility that Trump’s administration might accept North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s demand for recognition as a nuclear power. This could shift the focus of U.S.-North Korea talks from denuclearization to nuclear freeze or reduction.
Hegseth even hinted at the possibility of nuclear reduction talks. He stated, “There is no better commander-in-chief than Trump,” and added, “My only and unique interest is preventing war.” He also emphasized that Guam, a U.S. territory, is the most strategically important region in the Pacific, suggesting that the U.S. priority might be preventing North Korea from threatening the U.S. mainland rather than achieving North Korean denuclearization. During his remarks, Trump’s supporters, who filled the hearing room, frequently chanted “USA.”
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeared caught off guard. Following the hearing, the ministry reaffirmed its official stance, stating, “North Korea’s denuclearization has consistently been a principle upheld by South Korea, the U.S., and the international community. North Korea can never gain the status of a nuclear power.” However, should Trump engage directly with North Korea, South Korea could find itself in a difficult position.
Meanwhile, John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications in the outgoing Biden administration, said during a briefing that “policy on denuclearization has not changed,” but acknowledged that U.S.-North Korea dialogue would ultimately depend on President-elect Trump.
Hegseth’s lack of military and diplomatic knowledge about South Korea was evident. When asked to name an important ASEAN member, he replied, “I understand that South Korea, Japan, and Australia are working on submarine-related projects.” However, these three countries are not members of ASEAN, which consists of ten Southeast Asian nations.
With Republicans holding 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats, Hegseth left the hearing room without comment, raising his fist triumphantly.
BY KANG TAE-HWA [thkang@joongang.co.kr]
