South Korea denies report on transfer of U.S. marines

South Korea on Tuesday denied a media report that some U.S. marines stationed in Japan may be redeployed to the South on a rotational basis, as Washington and Tokyo consider transferring thousands of American forces from Okinawa to other regions.

An unspecified number of U.S. marines on Okinawa is likely to be transferred to South Korea under a plan whereby the U.S. redeploys some marines from the Japanese island to other nations, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported earlier in the day, citing a Seoul government source.

“There has been no discussion between Korea and the U.S. over the issue of the transfer of U.S. marines based on Okinawa,” foreign ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae told reporters.

About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.

The planned transfer of U.S. marines on Okinawa is part of restructuring efforts by the U.S. military in the Pacific, but has hit snags for years because it was related to the relocation of an air base on Okinawa. (Yonhap News)