The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a plan to transfer 4,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to other bases in the Indo-Pacific region, including Guam, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 22nd (local time).
WSJ, citing senior officials at the Ministry of National Defense, reported that a plan to move 4,500 of the approximately 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea to other bases in the Indo-Pacific region, including U.S. territory Guam, is being discussed internally. This plan is being prepared for review by President Trump, but it has not yet been formally reported to him.
According to the report, this is part of an unofficial review of the North Korea policy, and it is likely that a concrete decision regarding troop reductions will be made after the situation of the war in Ukraine and the U.S. government's future military support for Ukraine become clearer.
WSJ analyzed that if the Trump administration seriously pursues such reductions, countries in the Indo-Pacific region, such as South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, which rely on U.S. forces, may feel security concerns.
In response, the Ministry of National Defense stated, "There is nothing to announce today," and Spokesperson Pete Nguyen only conveyed the general stance that "President Trump is committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea" to WSJ.
Negative opinions regarding the reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea have been raised within military leadership. Samuel Paparo, commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, and Javier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, stated their opposition to reductions during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last month, noting that U.S. troops in South Korea play a key role not only in deterring North Korea but also in keeping China and Russia in check.
However, the Ministry of National Defense is also reportedly considering strategies to alleviate concerns about U.S. troop reductions by transferring some troops to other bases within the Indo-Pacific region. In particular, WSJ analyzed that Guam is emerging as a key forward deployment base due to its proximity to regions where tensions are rising, such as the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and because it poses distance constraints for a direct strike by the Chinese military.
This discussion on troop reductions is also linked to the direction of the new National Defense Strategy (NDS) that is currently being established. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the establishment of the NDS earlier this month, outlining priorities such as defending the U.S. homeland, deterring China in the Indo-Pacific, and increasing the defense cost-sharing of allied countries.
Elbridge Colby, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, overseeing the design of the NDS, has conveyed his stance that while extended deterrence (nuclear umbrella) should continue to be provided, South Korea should take more lead in responding to conventional threats. He has previously stated on social media, "I do not support the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea," while arguing that "South Korea should bear more of the conventional defense burden, and U.S. forces should focus more on responding to China."