No discussions with US on reducing USFK troop levels: defense ministry

No discussions have taken place with the United States about the possibility of reducing the number of troops stationed in South Korea, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday. 

Speculation has mounted again about a possible US troop drawdown following a media report that the Pentagon has offered the White House options to reduce troop levels in South Korea. 

"As for the adjustment of the size of the US Forces Korea, the South Korean and the US authorities have not held any discussions," deputy defense ministry spokesperson Col. Moon Hong-sik told a regular briefing.

Asked about chances the issue will be discussed during the planned defense ministers' talks, Moon noted that the matter "will not be among their agenda items, as far as I know." 

Seoul and Washington are working to arrange a videoconference call between their defense ministers to discuss pending issues. The date has not been fixed yet. 

Talk of the troop withdrawal came as the two sides have failed to narrow differences over their cost sharing for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong USFK under the bilateral deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA). 

In June, former US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell stated that US President Donald Trump clearly expressed his hope to bring US troops home from South Korea, Japan and other allied countries, while confirming the US plan to pull out around 30 percent of its troops, or 10,000 service members, from Germany.

But USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams said earlier this month that the reported possibilities are "wildly speculative statements," and the US remains "fully committed to the mission of defense of the Republic of Korea." 

According to the Joint Communique of the 51st Security Consultative Meeting between the South Korean and the US defense chiefs in November last year, Secretary Mark Esper "reaffirmed the commitment to maintain the current level of the US military personnel in the ROK and to enhance combat readiness" given "the current security environment." 

The US' National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) also bans reduction of the number of American troops in South Korea below the current level unless the US defense secretary certifies that a reduction is in the US national security interest. (Yonhap)