Washington: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Indo-Pacific allies are aligning with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's goal to allocate 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defense by 2035. This development was discussed during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, where Hegseth emphasized the progress made under President Donald Trump's administration in reinforcing deterrence both domestically and internationally.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Hegseth highlighted that Indo-Pacific countries are beginning to mirror the efforts of NATO allies in defense spending. "Whether it's Europe ... our allies (will be) paying 5 percent now. Our allies in the Indo-Pacific (are) stepping up to do the same," he remarked, underscoring the importance of American leadership in this initiative. The Pentagon has reiterated that Asian allies are expected to adhere to this "global standard" of defense expenditure.

In a related development, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, during a recent address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed his intent to adopt a more proactive role in ensuring security on the Korean Peninsula. He committed to increasing defense spending, although specific details were not provided. Currently, South Korea's defense budget is approximately 61.2 trillion won (US$44.2 billion), which constitutes about 2.32 percent of its GDP, as reported by Seoul's defense ministry.