South Korea's Defense Ministry said on Friday that there have been no talks with the United States about a possible withdrawal of US troops from the country, rejecting a Wall Street Journal report that Washington is considering reducing its military presence, Reuters reports.
The American newspaper cited unnamed military sources, according to which one of the options being considered is the withdrawal of about 4,500 of the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea, with the possibility of moving them to other parts of the Indo-Pacific region, including Guam.
South Korea's Defense Ministry said on Friday that Seoul and Washington have not held any talks talks to withdraw some US troops stationed in the country. The ministry made the comment in response to a report in the "Wall Street Journal" that said the US was considering withdrawing about 4,500 troops from South Korea.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also denied the information, saying in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "Reports that the Department of Defense will reduce US troops in the Republic of Korea are not true."
Last year, the two countries reached an agreement on a five-year plan to share defense costs. However, US President Donald Trump has signaled that the cost of the military presence could be discussed as part of ongoing trade talks with Seoul — something that South Korean authorities have so far dismissed as a separate issue.
Political tensions in the country remain high ahead of a snap presidential election on June 3, scheduled after the removal of President Yun Seok-yeol for his failed attempt to impose martial law in December.