South Korea says US troops won’t be reduced even if Trump wins presidency

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said strengthening ties between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo would help overcome any political changes in the US

According to the National Defence Authorisation Act, the White House requires congressional approval to scale back the 28,500 troops in South Korea

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South Korean and US soldiers at a joint live-fire exercise in Pocheon on January 4. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:45pm, 6 Jan 2024Updated: 2:47pm, 6 Jan 2024

The United States is unlikely to cut back its forces in South Korea even if former US president Donald Trump wins re-election, the South’s minister tasked with matters related to neighbouring North Korea said in a television interview.

In the interview transmitted on Saturday, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho told broadcaster KBS this was because the US Congress had already decided the matter in a defence bill it recently passed.

“One of the concerns many people have is … the issue of any withdrawal of US troops from Korea” if Trump is re-elected, Kim said.

But December’s National Defence Authorisation Act says the US administration requires congressional approval to scale back the 28,500 troops in South Korea, Kim said.

Strengthening ties between the United States, South Korea and Japan would help overcome any political changes in the US, he added.

At Camp David last August, US President Joe Biden and the leaders of South Korea and Japan agreed to strengthen military and economic cooperation.