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6h ago

U.S. Reviews Potential Troop Reduction in South Korea as Defense Strategy Evolves

The Pentagon is informally considering relocating 4,500 troops from South Korea to other Indo-Pacific locations, though no formal decisions or discussions with Seoul have occurred.

US soldiers from the 11th Engineer Battalion and 2nd Infantry Combined Division participate in the joint river-crossing exercise conducted for South Korean and US soldiers in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, 20 March 2024. JEON HEON-KYUN/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
U.S. aircraft are spotted at Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base some 65 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 23, 2025. (Yonhap)
This photo, taken on Sept. 1, 2023, show U.S. troops engaging in military drills in Janseong, 250 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
This file photo, taken March 10, 2025, shows military aircraft at Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The U.S. is informally reviewing a proposal to withdraw approximately 4,500 troops from the 28,500 currently stationed in South Korea, according to reports citing defense officials.
  • The potential relocation of troops to other Indo-Pacific locations, including Guam, is being explored as part of a broader strategic shift aimed at countering China's influence.
  • Both the Pentagon and South Korea's defense ministry confirmed that no policy announcements have been made, and no bilateral discussions regarding troop reductions have taken place.
  • U.S. military leaders, including Adm. Samuel Paparo Jr. and Gen. Xavier Brunson, have expressed concerns that such a reduction could weaken deterrence against North Korea and signal diminished U.S. commitment to the alliance.
  • The review aligns with the drafting of the 2025 National Defense Strategy, which emphasizes increasing allied burden-sharing and addressing emerging threats from China.