USFK dismisses troop downsizing report

The United States Forces Korea on Friday dismissed a report saying Washington is mulling the possibility of a partial withdrawal of the strong 28,500 troops stationed here.

"The US remains firmly committed to the defense of the ROK and we look forward to working with the incoming government officials to maintain and strengthen our iron clad alliance," the USFK said in a statement. "Reports that the Department of Defense will reduce US troops in the Republic of Korea are not true.“

ROK is an abbreviation for Republic of Korea, which is South Korea's official name.

The statement followed a report early Friday from The Wall Street Journal, which claimed that the Donald Trump administration is weighing the option of pulling out some 4,500 troops, or around 15 percent of the USFK, and moving them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific region, including Guam, which is an American island territory.

The report added to security concerns in South Korea amid volatilities stemming from North Korea’s advancing nuclear weapons program.

Addressing the report, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said in the morning that no discussions had recently been held with the US government over the issue of withdrawal of USFK.

“There were no discussions held between South Korea and the US over the issue of withdrawal of USFK,” the ministry said.

"The USFK, as the core strength of the South Korea-US alliance, has contributed to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and in the region by maintaining a firm combined defense posture and deterring North Korea's invasion and provocation, alongside our military," the ministry added. "We will continue to cooperate with the US side to advance in such a direction.”

The WSJ report is aligned with a separate report from The Washington Post earlier this year that the second Trump administration plans to “reorient” the US military to prioritize deterring China’s seizure of Taiwan and shoring up homeland defense. It cited secret internal guidance distributed throughout the Pentagon in mid-March.

An official at Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, declining to be named, echoed the Defense Ministry’s statement, saying that the USFK has been “the backbone and the symbol of the South Korea-US alliance, while deterring threats from North Korea and contributing to the peace and security in the region.”

The official highlighted the “negative views” expressed by US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo Jr. and USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson about potentially scaling back the US troops deployed here.

“Recently, the US Indo-Pacific Command commander and the USFK commander have stressed the importance of the role of the USFK and expressed negative views on a possible withdrawal or reduction,” the official explained. “The US’ National Defense Authorization Act has also consistently included the part which calls for the maintenance of the current USFK troop strength.”

The report, which came as South Korea heads into a snap presidential election on June 3, triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment and removal from office, prompted reactions from the political sphere.

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on Thursday expressed concerns about front-runner and rival Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung’s past remark that labeled the USFK as “an occupying force.”

“Candidate Lee Jae-myung in the past, undermined the USFK by calling them an occupying force and labeling the combined military exercises among South Korea, US and Japan as an extreme pro-Japanese act,” Kim wrote on Facebook in the afternoon. Kim claimed that “worries have been spreading” across the country that the USFK’s withdrawal could materialize if Lee is elected president. “Candidate Lee Jae-myung should apologize for his past remarks (calling the USFK) an occupying force and clearly reveal his stance toward the South Korea-US alliance.”

Minor conservative New Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok told the press that South Korea should “be confident” in dealing with the US regarding the issues of the USFK, after attending a memorial service for late President Roh Moo-hyun in the southeastern rural village of Bongha, South Gyeongsang Province, in the morning.

“The USFK is stationed here due to the US’ strategic understanding -- South Korea must come up with the best outcome for our people by strengthening our own defense capabilities on one side and convincing the US that we can cooperate for the benefit of the US’ security,” he added.

Lee has yet to release a statement on the matter, but Cho Seung-rae, the Democratic Party’s chief spokesperson, highlighted the role of the USFK in protecting “the peace in the Northeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region” and “deterring North Korea threats.”

“It’s a topic that should be calmly discussed (between Seoul and Washington) based on the value we share in our alliance,” Cho told reporters after attending the same morning memorial service.

“From the perspective of the South Korea-US alliance, the role of the USFK, which deters threats from North Korea and contributes to the peace in Northeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, is clear. And I believe that both the ruling and the opposition parties’ thoughts and South Korea’s and the US’ perspectives on the matter are not different.”