South Korea dismisses talk of reducing U.S. military presence
The South Korean Ministry of Defense has denied reports about plans to reduce American military forces in the region, as previously reported by the "Wall Street Journal."
What you need to know
- The South Korean Ministry of Defense in Seoul has strongly denied reports of reducing American troops in South Korea.
- The "Wall Street Journal" suggested that the U.S. president's administration is considering withdrawing 4,500 soldiers.
- Officials assure that South Korea and the U.S. continue to cooperate to maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula.
On Friday, the South Korean Ministry of Defense denied the "Wall Street Journal" reports regarding discussions with the Pentagon about possibly reducing U.S. military forces in South Korea.
According to the newspaper, the Trump administration considered withdrawing about 4,500 soldiers from USFK's 28,500 personnel and relocating them to other bases in the Indo-Pacific region, including Guam.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense emphasized that USFK, as the main force of the South Korean-U.S. alliance and the South Korean military, has contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Concerning reports from South Korea: A denial issued
"As the core strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the USFK, alongside our military, has contributed to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and in the region by maintaining a firm combined defense posture and deterring North Korea's invasion and provocation," the ministry stated.
A Pentagon spokesperson also noted that there are no announcements regarding a potential reduction of USFK.
Speculations about reductions arise in the context of Washington's pursuit of USFK's "strategic flexibility" to focus on deterring China due to Beijing's intensification of military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
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