Pentagon plans to give South Korea primary role in deterring North Korea threats under new strategy

The Pentagon said in an unclassified national defense strategy document titled "Restoring peace through strength for a new golden age of America" on Friday, that it plans to shift more of the responsibility of deterring North Korea to South Korea.

The U.S. would take a "more limited" role in keeping North Korea in line, the Pentagon said in the document obtained by Fox News Digital.

"With its powerful military, supported by high defense spending, a robust defense industry, and mandatory conscription, South Korea is capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with critical but more limited U.S. support," the document said.

It added, "South Korea also has the will to do so, given that it faces a direct and clear threat from North Korea. This shift in the balance of responsibility is consistent with America’s interest in updating U.S. force posture on the Korean Peninsula. In this way, we can ensure a stronger and more mutually beneficial alliance relationship that is better aligned with America’s defense priorities, thereby setting conditions for lasting peace."

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The new policy plan on North Korea followed similar strategies for other parts of the world, with the wide-ranging document adding that the department will "no longer be distracted by interventionism, endless wars, regime change, and nation building. Instead, we will put our people’s practical concrete interests first."

The document clarified the policy doesn’t mean "isolationism," but rather a "strategic approach to the threats our nation faces."

Further down it added, "We will insist our allies and partners do their part and lend them a helping hand when they step up."

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The document said under a section titled "Increase Burden-Sharing with U.S. Allies and Partners" that it plans to deter China "through strength, not confrontation," and as the "Department rightly prioritizes Homeland defense and deterring China, other threats will persist, and our allies will be essential to dealing with all of them. Our allies will do so not as a favor to us, but out of their own interests."

On Russia, it said the country "will remain a persistent but manageable threat to NATO’s eastern members for the foreseeable future," and on Iran, it stated that President Donald Trump has made it clear that Iran won’t be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

This year, South Korea raised its military budget by 7.5% while around 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed there in defense of North Korea.

Minnesota 'on the clock' as HHS threatens penalties over childcare fraud scandal

Minnesota’s alleged fraud scandal continues with the blue state now "on the clock" to comply with federal officials.

"We asked Minnesota for evidence that child care funding goes to legitimate providers," Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), wrote in an X post video alongside HHS Assistant Secretary Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Alex Adams. "Six weeks later, they still have not sent this information."

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The ACF sent a "preliminary notice of non-compliance" to the state, according to O’Neill.

"We are no longer asking, we are demanding," Adams said. "Since Minnesota refused to comply with their federally approved state plan and regulations, ACF has sent a preliminary notice of non-compliance to Minnesota."

O’Neill said the state has 60 days to send the desired documents to federal officials.

"We put Minnesota on the clock," O’Neill said in the video. "If their response is insufficient, we’ll pursue full penalties under the law against the state."

O’Neill said HHS sends approximately $20 billion to the state annually.

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"Every dollar that the state diverts into fraud is stolen from the intended Minnesota recipient. The status quo was to trust the state to stop fraud. That clearly did not work," O’Neill said.

On Dec. 30, O’Neill and Adams announced a childcare payment freeze to the state after an alleged fraud scandal was exposed, involving daycare centers in the state.

"Intrepid journalists have made shocking, incredible allegations of extensive fraud in Minnesota’s childcare programs," O’Neill said in a Dec. 30 video posted on X. "We believe the state of Minnesota has allowed scammers and fake daycares to siphon millions of taxpayer dollars over the past decade." 

Last month, O’Neill demanded Gov. Tim Walz turn over a comprehensive audit of certain daycare centers, including attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations and inspections.

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A spokesperson for Walz’s office told Fox News in December that they felt the investigation was politically motivated.

"Fraud is a serious issue. But this is a transparent attempt to politicize the issue to hurt Minnesotans and defund government programs that help people," the spokesperson said.

Adams said the ACF has a team on the ground in the state conducting an "on-site monitoring visit," where the department plans to attempt to gather records the state has not provided.

"We will continue to pursue every credible lead, and we will restore integrity to programs that serve America’s most vulnerable people," O’Neill concluded.

The ACF and the state Department of Health office of the inspector general did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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