Bruce Klingner
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is meeting with important allies during his Indo-Pacific trip, with one notable exception: South Korea, at a time of growing concerns of regional threats and uncertainty about U.S. policies. The secretary should strongly affirm U.S. security commitments to its allies, delineate the administration’s Indo-Pacific security policies and priorities, and address questions on the future footprint of U.S. military forces in the region.
Secretary Hegseth’s trip includes stops in Guam, Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines but skips a stopover in South Korea given the ongoing political turmoil in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3 triggered a constitutional crisis that remains unresolved. The National Assembly impeached Yoon as well as acting President Han Duk-sool, and threatened a motion to impeach the secondary acting president Choi Sang-mok.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court has not yet indicated when it will release its verdict on Yoon’s impeachment. Due to fear of unrest or violent demonstrations after the verdict, South Korea authorities announced plans to mobilize 14,000 police officers and close schools and subway stations near the court. Yoon also faces separate criminal charges of insurrection related to the martial law declaration.
Trump’s Korea Strategy: How Washington Is Navigating South Korea’s Political Turmoil
It is understandable that Hegseth would avoid traveling to South Korea during a time of political crisis, as his predecessor Lloyd Austin did last December. However, doing so will exacerbate local worries of “Korea passing” as Seoul has struggled to establish a relationship with the new U.S. administration. Uncertainties of the future parameters of U.S. policy toward the Indo-Pacific have led to doubts about the continued presence of U.S. forces in Korea and the viability of America’s extended deterrence guarantee.
South Korean sensitivities are particularly acute after the U.S. Department of Energy recently designated it as a “sensitive country,” which could constrain cooperation on advanced technology and nuclear energy. » Read More
https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/commentary/why-pete-hegseth-skipping-south-korea-amid-rising-tensions