Seoul, July 31 -- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasised the urgent need to ensure that the South Korea-US alliance remains "strategically sustainable" amid growing concerns over China's aggressive regional ambitions, according to a Pentagon readout shared by The Korea Herald.

In his first phone conversation with South Korea's newly appointed Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back since the latter's inauguration last week, Hegseth underscored the importance of a robust defence posture that effectively deters "shared threats," a clear reference to the increasingly assertive military and geopolitical manoeuvres of China across East Asia.

As per The Korea Herald, the call comes amid expectations that the Biden administration will intensify pr...