By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNGSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president vowed Wednesday to sharply increase defense spending and build a more self-reliant military, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s “ America First” agenda raises questions about the U.S. security commitment to its Asian ally. In an Armed Forces Day ceremony Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described the South Korea-U.S. military alliance as “solid” and didn’t mention any concerns about Trump’s policies. Bolstering South Korea’s military readiness would clearly be aimed at increasing deterrence against potential aggressions from North Korea, which has nuclear weapons. The commander of the U.S. forces in South Korea currently has wartime operational control of South Korea’s military. “I believe that President Trump’s vision of foreign policy involves empowering capable and willing allies like South Korea, and thus I support efforts to bolster South Korea’s role in the alliance,” Colby said.