On Friday, the Pentagon denied information that appeared in The Wall Street Journal about a possible withdrawal of thousands of American troops from South Korea. A Pentagon spokesperson called these reports “false.”
According to the WSJ report, the Pentagon is allegedly considering relocating about 4,500 troops from South Korea to other bases in the Indo-Pacific region, including the island of Guam. This is said to be part of an informal review of U.S. policy toward North Korea.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell emphasized that “reports of troop reductions in the Republic of Korea are untrue.” He also noted that the U.S. remains committed to its allies in South Korea, and their alliance is unbreakable.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense also confirmed that no official talks about withdrawing American troops have taken place.
Currently, about 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea, who, together with forces in Japan and the Philippines, provide deterrence against threats from North Korea and aggressive actions by China.
Last year, Seoul and Washington agreed on a five-year plan for joint defense funding, but Trump repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the costs, insisting that South Korea should pay more for maintaining American forces. He also noted that these expenses could become a bargaining chip in new trade agreements.
Trump stressed that the U.S. funds its military presence in Europe without receiving significant compensation, and the same applies to South Korea.
During his first term, Trump demanded that Seoul increase its financial contribution for hosting American forces by four times.
Meanwhile, the possibility of troop withdrawal is causing concern among U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region. General Xavier Branson, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, warned the Senate that reducing the contingent would be “problematic.”
He noted that these forces are a key element of missile defense in the region, helping the Indo-Pacific Command detect and deter threats from the north and other directions. Reducing the contingent would complicate the fulfillment of these tasks.