The defense ministry said it believes the primary purpose of a strengthened United States Forces Korea(USFK) should remain deterrence against North Korean aggression on the peninsula.

During a parliamentary audit on Monday, Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back said he disagreed with a recent statement by Daniel Driscoll, U.S. secretary of the Army, in which the official said USFK should respond to threats from both China and the North.

The minister said he understood the U.S. calls for a collective response to various factors in the Indo-Pacific region but that South Korea must prioritize defense against threats from Pyongyang.

When asked if Beijing's strategic weapons posed a threat to Seoul's alliance with Washington, Ahn said new weapons systems displayed during China's recent "Victory Day" parade are definitely threatening factors, and that the military is preparing.

Main opposition People Power Party(PPP) Rep. Lim Jong-deuk brought up the unification ministry's call for the suspension of firing and maneuvering exercises as part of efforts to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military deal. The minister said those requests did not represent the government's official stance.