US Department of Defense Denies Report on Reduction of 4,500 USFK Personnel

"Firm Commitment to the Defense of South Korea
Looking Forward to Strengthening the Alliance with the New Government"

The US Department of Defense has denied foreign media reports that the Trump administration is considering reducing the US Forces Korea (USFK) by 4,500 personnel, stating that these claims are not true.

On May 23 (local time), Pentagon spokesperson Shawn Parnell said, "The United States remains firmly committed to the defense of South Korea," adding, "We look forward to working with officials from the next South Korean government to maintain and strengthen our ironclad alliance." He further stated, "Reports that the Department of Defense will reduce USFK are not true."

A US soldier is inspecting a towed artillery gun at a US military base in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News

The previous day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing multiple Department of Defense officials, reported that the Pentagon is preparing a plan to relocate 4,500 USFK personnel to other areas within the Indo-Pacific, including the US territory of Guam.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Defense dismissed the report, saying, "There is no policy to announce." Pete Nguyen, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), also avoided commenting on the possibility of troop reductions, instead emphasizing, "President Trump is committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea."