US, strategic change due to relocation of US troops stationed abroad

The Pentagon's position that the US military in Korea could be reduced in line with changes in US defense policy in the future is expected to lead to a subtle impact between the two countries. On the 26th, in the national audit data submitted to the National Assembly's National Defense Committee's People's Strength Dae-sik Kang.

The military said that the United States has decided to flexibly adjust the number of troops in consideration of the security situation rather than maintaining a certain size of US troops only in certain countries. It is in progress.

This was the answer to a question asking why the phrase'maintaining to the current level of the USFK' was missing in 12 years in a joint statement at the South Korea-US Annual Security Council (SCM) recently held in Washington. In fact, it is interpreted that the USFK cannot be an exception to the scope of the relocation and coordination of US forces stationed abroad. Defense Minister Seo-wook also said in a general audit of the National Assembly on the same day.

A military official said, it seems that the US government had guidelines that the Ministry of Defense should have a more flexible basis for US troops stationed abroad. There is a lot of concern within the military that if US President Donald Trump is re-elected, the US military reduction card' linked to the defense cost issue will become a reality. As the controversy grew. The mention of'the flexibility of US troops stationed overseas does not imply a reduction of US forces in Korea and there have been no discussions on the reduction until now. The US Congress will reduce US forces in Korea this year following 2018 and 2019. The restrictions have been stipulated in the Defense Authorization Act as a stronger basis.

However, there are many analyzes that the intentions of the United States are different. It means that it is possible to reconsider the stationary deployment of US troops (28,500) on the Korean Peninsula, second only to Japan and Germany for defense against North Korea only. It is also possible that the USFK, which is a'built-in Korean peninsula focused on ground forces, does not have the conditions or ability to intervene in the South China Sea and Taiwan situation.

A military official said, as the US is putting all its defense capabilities into deterring China's military injuries in the Indo-Pacific region, it can be judged that the USFK is ineffective compared to its size.