US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for reducing US troops stationed in South Korea, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the consultation.
Reducing the number of US troops is not something that will be used in negotiations at Trump's summit in late May or early June with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who is expected to dominate the issue. Pyongyang nuclear arsenal, according to the Times.
The newspaper's sources explained that if a peace agreement is reached between North and South Korea, it will reduce the need to extend the large US military presence on the peninsula. It is estimated that at least 23.500 US troops are deployed in South Korea today. However, it is unlikely that there will be a complete withdrawal of US forces from South Korean territory, US officials said in the newspaper.
The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, a member of the National Security Council of the US presidency assured the National Security Adviser of the South Korean presidency that this publication is false, according to the Blue House.