Us Reportedly Considers Withdrawing 4,500 Troops From South Korea

The Trump management is weighing a connection to withdraw astir 4,500 U.S. troops from South Korea, according to a study successful The Wall Street Journal. The scheme would relocate forces to different Indo-Pacific locations — perchance Guam — arsenic portion of an informal argumentation reappraisal focused connected North Korea.

The thought has yet to scope President Donald Trump’s desk, but it is portion of a broader reassessment of U.S. subject posture successful East Asia. Officials acquainted pinch nan discussions opportunity nan connection remains progressive arsenic defense planners reexamine really to equilibrium America’s commitments connected nan Korean Peninsula pinch nan request to antagonistic increasing threats from China.

The imaginable withdrawal reflects a long-running debate. Trump antecedently floated reshaping nan U.S. footprint successful South Korea during his first term, and nan existent reappraisal marks nan astir superior information successful years.

What are Washington and Seoul saying?

Roughly 28,500 American troops are stationed successful South Korea. U.S. subject leaders person warned that reducing that beingness could strain nan confederation and weaken deterrence against Pyongyang.

In Senate testimony past month, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said, “To trim nan unit becomes problematic.” Adm. Samuel Paparo, caput of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said that withdrawing troops would “inherently trim our expertise to prevail successful conflict.”

South Korea’s defense ministry said Friday, May 23, it has held nary talks pinch nan U.S. connected immoderate unit reduction. The ministry reiterated that some nations stay committed to a beardown mixed defense posture to deter North Korean aggression. Seoul besides emphasized that nan rumor is unrelated to ongoing waste and acquisition aliases defense cost-sharing talks.

U.S. Defense Department main spokesperson Sean Parnell later said connected X, “Anyone who’s covered nan Pentagon knows that we ever measure unit posture. That said, nan U. S. remains firmly committed to nan ROK. Our confederation is robust clad. Reports that nan DoD will trim U.S. troops successful nan Republic of Korea are not true.”

What would a displacement mean for nan region?

Analysts opportunity relocating troops to Guam would connection nan U.S. greater strategical flexibility. It would support forces adjacent imaginable flashpoints while easing tensions connected nan densely populated Korean Peninsula. Pentagon officials progressively position Guam arsenic a guardant hub, adjacent capable to respond quickly to crises but harder for China to target.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Under Secretary Elbridge Colby person each endorsed modernizing nan U.S. unit posture successful nan Indo-Pacific. Colby, a longtime advocator for burden-sharing, has based on that nan U.S. should not support troops successful South Korea solely to deter North Korea.

“U.S. forces connected nan peninsula successful my position should not beryllium held hostage to dealing pinch nan North Korean problem,” Colby said successful a 2024 interview.