A senior U.S. defense official says South Korea continues to be a “role model” in its willingness to take more of the lead in defending against North Korea and in its defense spending. 

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby made the remarks in a social media post last Thursday as he commented on that day’s phone call between South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Colby said the United States and South Korea are closely aligned on the need to “modernize” the alliance in response to the regional security environment, adding that Washington will work closely with Seoul to ensure a strategically sustainable alliance that is ready to defend against “shared threats.” 

The remarks, issued ahead of the South Korea-U.S. summit, are seen as revealing the Trump administration’s expectations for South Korea’s greater role in the alliance. 

The references to “modernizing” the alliance and a “strategically sustainable alliance” are interpreted as reflecting the view that the South Korea-U.S. alliance should play a role not only in deterring North Korea but also in countering threats posed by China.