WSJ "US Department of Defense Proposes USFK Reduction Plan to White House"

Jung Eun-bo, the chief Korean representative for the defense cost-sharing negotiations, is announcing the government’s position and the negotiation status after the 3rd meeting of the 11th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing between Korea and the U.S. held last November.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Amid prolonged negotiations between South Korea and the United States over the defense cost-sharing for US Forces Korea, there are reports that the US Department of Defense has proposed a plan to reduce US Forces Korea to the White House.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 17th (local time), citing US military officials, reported that the US Joint Chiefs of Staff reviewed the structure of US Forces Korea in relation to the global redeployment and downsizing of US troops.

WSJ explained that officials from the Trump administration refused to comment on an emergency plan to reduce US Forces Korea below the current level of 28,000 troops and said no decision had been made regarding troop reductions.

The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act prohibits reducing the number of US Forces Korea below the current level of 28,000 troops.

WSJ evaluated that the Department of Defense's plan coincided with President Trump's decision to reduce US troops in Germany by 9,500.

WSJ, citing an official, reported that the US Department of Defense reviewed various plans for reducing and redeploying overseas US troops last December, considering military conflicts with China and Russia, and submitted plans including Korea to the White House in March.

WSJ added that a US official declined to disclose whether Mark Milley, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed the Korean side about the US Forces Korea reduction plan.

Another official suggested the possibility of troop reductions, stating, "Although no conclusion has been reached regarding the redeployment of US Forces Korea, whatever decision is made, the forces to defend against threats on the Korean Peninsula will be maintained."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.