U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Saturday that North Korea poses a formidable threat to the Indo-Pacific region, as senior military voices suggest American forces in South Korea may need to prepare for a broader regional role amid rising tensions with China.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth urged Asian allies to dramatically increase defense spending, pointing to NATO members' pledge to spend 5% of their GDP on defense while warning that countries in Asia face "an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea."