U.S. Secretary of Defense nominee Peter Hegseth referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” and pointed out that the threats posed by the regime’s nuclear weapons are a global threat that not only affects the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region but the entire world.

In a written response submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee before his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Hegseth said North Korea’s “status as a nuclear power, its intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads, and its growing cyber capabilities all pose a threat to stability on the Korean peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific region, and globally.”

He added that such threats are a particular concern given the North’s proximity to close U.S. allies that host American troops.

Regarding additional measures needed to strengthen defense against the North, the defense chief nominee said in addition to efforts to prevent the expansion of nuclear and missile stockpiles, it is important to improve missile defense systems, particularly those designed to protect the U.S. mainland.

He further explained that in recent years, North Korea, China and Russia have significantly expanded and modernized their nuclear capabilities, adding that Pyongyang is expanding its nuclear stockpile and making advancements in miniaturizing nuclear warhead and road-mobile launch systems.