US House Armed Services Committee Chair: "US Forces Korea Necessary to Deter North Korean Provocations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] Adam Smith, Chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, reportedly stated that the U.S. Forces Korea are necessary to deter North Korea's war provocations.

Photo by Yonhap News

On the 17th (local time), Chairman Smith attended a virtual meeting hosted by the Democratic-affiliated think tank New Democrat Network (NDN) and made these remarks. This statement came shortly after the U.S. Department of Defense reportedly presented options for reducing U.S. Forces Korea to the White House, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Chairman Smith emphasized, "I believe that U.S. Forces Korea, in cooperation with the South Korean military, have prevented North Korea from initiating war," adding, "We want to maintain this relationship (with South Korea) and are committed to doing so."

He also criticized the Trump administration for being very "aggressive" in the defense cost-sharing negotiations between South Korea and the U.S., stating, "I do not agree with that." He said, "We are not simply doing South Korea a favor; we are there because the United States has made significant investments in global peace and stability."

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