Hello and welcome to News Hour from the BBC World Service coming to you live from London. I'm Paul Henley.

There is breaking news from South Korea this hour where investigators are once again trying to arrest the country's suspended president, Yun-Suk Yul.

We hope to join our correspondent there at what is just after six in the

morning very soon. In the meantime, the man that Donald Trump wants to be the next US Defence Secretary

has been at the centre of a long and raucous hearing of the Armed Services Committee in Washington

today. The former soldier and one-time Fox News TV host, Pete Hegeseth, has denied claims of

excessive drinking, sexism and sexual misconduct. In his opening statement, he told senators

for and against his appointment that he'd been asked by President-elect Donald Trump to change

the culture of the Pentagon. When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the

warrior culture back to the Department of Defense.

He, like me, once a Pentagon, laser focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfighting,

accountability and readiness.

Pete Hexeth being cut off there by one of several hecklers who broke in as he spoke

before being removed from the room.

The chairman of the committee, Republican Senator Roger Wicker,

said claims of misconduct made against Mr. Hexeth had been exaggerated.

Regarding his personal conduct, Mr. Hexeth has admitted to falling short, as we all do from time to time.

It is noteworthy that the vast majority of the accusations leveled at Mr. Hexeth have come from anonymous sources.

Contrast these anonymous accusations with the many public letters of support and commendation.

Well, in a supporting role, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan put this question to beat Hexeth.

If confirmed, and you issue an order, saying we are going to rip the Biden woke yoke

off the neck of our military and focus on lethality and warfighting, how do you think

...