Pete Hegseth, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, who is leading the second administration of President Donald Trump, made comments on the 14th (local time) recognizing North Korea as a "nuclear power." This marks a change from the previous U.S. government's position, which did not officially acknowledge North Korea's ownership of nuclear weapons while demanding its "complete denuclearization." It suggests that the North Korea policy of the Trump administration may shift.
According to CNN and others, Hegseth referred to North Korea as a nuclear power in a written response submitted to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing that day. He stated, "Recently, China, Russia, and North Korea have significantly expanded and modernized their nuclear capabilities," adding, "North Korea is expanding its nuclear stockpile and developing miniaturized warheads and ground-based mobile launch systems." He further asserted, "North Korea's status as a nuclear power and its increasing missile range capable of carrying nuclear warheads pose a substantial threat to stability in the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world."
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) recognizes five nuclear-armed states: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia. Although not officially recognized by the NPT, three unofficial nuclear-armed states are effectively acknowledged: India, Pakistan, and Israel.
However, Hegseth's reference to North Korea as a nuclear power suggests a potential abandonment of the principle of denuclearization that the U.S. has aimed for. In this case, the North Korea policy could be modified to focus on nuclear disarmament or freeze negotiations. Additionally, considering that Hegseth noted the advancement of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, there is a possibility of recognizing North Korea as a nuclear power and pursuing negotiations in a small deal format. This scenario could lead to a situation where the U.S. and North Korea agree on a small deal through direct dialogue, bypassing South Korea.
On the same day, the White House refuted Hegseth's comments. John Kirby, the National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, stated, "I cannot comment on how the next security team will define it," but added, "We have not gone so far as to recognize this."
Hegseth emphasized the importance of alliances but made claims similar to Trump's, stating that the burden-sharing ratio for defense spending among allies should be increased. He noted, "Increasing defense expenditure and sharing the burden with allies and partners is essential to ensure that our relationships are not one-sided," and added, "Allies and partners understand that a strong and healthy alliance cannot be one-sided, and the U.S. will continue to emphasize this."