Seoul: The Pentagon on Friday announced Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's upcoming trip to the Indo-Pacific devoid of a stop in South Korea, as concerns lingered that political uncertainty, caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in December, could affect the allies' cooperation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that Hegseth will depart early next week for a trip to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan to meet senior U.S. military and civilian officials, and participate in a series of bilateral meetings.
The secretary was initially reported to have considered a visit to South Korea, a key treaty ally of the United States, but it was excluded from his first trip to the region since taking office in January. "These engagements will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our alliances and partnerships toward our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," Parnell said in a statement.
He added that Hegseth's trip comes as the U.S. builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries to strengthen regional security. Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, also cancelled the Korea portion of his last trip to the region as Pentagon chief in December -- a cancellation that came after South Korea was thrust into political turmoil following Yoon's martial law attempt in early December.
South Korea's exclusion from Hegseth's planned trip added to speculation that the political situation in Seoul could have a negative impact on the allies' high-level defense communications. Mindful of such concerns, Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot reaffirmed America's "ironclad" commitment last week to the South Korea-U.S. alliance and vowed to maintain the "fight tonight" readiness posture with the Asian ally.
Hegseth will first travel to Hawaii to meet top officials at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Before visiting the Philippines, he will fly to Guam, where he is expected to tour U.S. military facilities and receive security briefings, according to Parnell. In Japan, the secretary will participate in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima -- a major battle during which the U.S. military landed on and eventually captured the island from then Imperial Japan during World War II. He also plans to meet Japanese leaders and U.S. military forces.