Overview

• Campbell cautioned that any significant cut to US Forces Korea could be interpreted as a retreat from U.S. commitments to peace and stability in South Korea and the broader Indo-Pacific region
• He highlighted North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and growing military cooperation with Russia as reasons to sustain strong collective deterrence
• The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is weighing moving roughly 4,500 troops from South Korea to locations such as Guam to recalibrate its Indo-Pacific force posture
• Senator Andy Kim warned that a drawdown of USFK forces could undermine the Seoul-Washington alliance under the new South Korean administration
• US Forces Korea has publicly dismissed plans for troop reductions as unfounded, reflecting ongoing debate over extended deterrence and regional security