Ministry of National Defense:
"No discussions with the US on withdrawal of US Forces Korea"
US Department of Defense reportedly considering relocating troops
Plan not yet reported to President Trump, remains under review
The Ministry of National Defense stated on May 23 that there have been "no discussions whatsoever between South Korea and the United States regarding the withdrawal of US Forces Korea," in response to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report that the US Department of Defense is considering relocating thousands of US troops stationed in South Korea to Guam and other locations.
The Ministry of National Defense said, "US Forces Korea serve as a core force of the South Korea-US alliance and, together with our military, have maintained a robust combined defense posture to deter North Korean aggression and provocations, thereby contributing to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region." The ministry added, "We will continue to work closely with the United States to further develop in this direction going forward."
Meanwhile, the WSJ reported on May 22 (local time), citing sources, that the US Department of Defense is preparing a plan to relocate approximately 4,500 out of the roughly 28,500 US troops currently stationed in South Korea to Guam, a US territory, as well as to other locations in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the WSJ, this plan has not yet been reported to President Trump and is only one of several ideas being discussed by senior officials as part of an ongoing policy review. Pete Nguyen, spokesperson for the National Security Council (NSC), also did not comment to the WSJ on the issue of US troop withdrawal from South Korea, stating only that President Trump remains committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
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