John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, said of Hegseth's remarks on North Korea's status as a nuclear power: "We've not made such a recognition. I can't speak to what the incoming team will—how they'll characterize it. We've not gone so far as to make that recognition."

If I had beene one of the senators questioning Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearing, this is what I would have asked:

Trump defense secretary nominee Pete Hesgeth ruffled feathers in S. Korea with his written statement to the Senate panel overseeing his confirmation

Seoul stressed Wednesday that Pyongyang cannot hold nuclear state status, rejecting U.S. defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's reference to the North as a "nuclear power."

A senator told Hegseth: "I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations."

Tammy Duckworth, grilling President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary over whether he had the “breadth and depth of knowledge” needed to lead international negotiations, asked Pete Hegseth ... have allies in South Korea and Japan ...

South Korea on Wednesday said Pyongyang could “never be recognised” as a nuclear power, after US defence secretary nominee Pete Hegseth used the term to emphasise the security threat posed by the reclusive nation during a Senate confirmation hearing.

Pete Hegseth seems destined to become America's 29th secretary of defense. Despite the hyperbole and exaggerations of Hegseth's fitness to serve, he is arguably the least qualified person to hold that office.

From the arrest of South Korea’s Yoon to a Japanese pop star’s sex scandal, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Pentagon chief, referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” in a written statement for Tuesday’s confirmation hearing – shattering a longstanding taboo by granting such a designation to Kim Jong-un’s regime and drawing considerable attention in Seoul.

Pete Hegseth made the comment in his written response ... treaty barring nuclear weapons development. Countries like South Korea who comply with the agreement− known as the Nuclear Non ...

Pete Hegseth, U.S. President-elect Donald ... "has been a principle consistently upheld by South Korea, the United States and the international community."