South Korea reacts calmly to US troop withdrawal plan

SEOUL (AFP) Aug 17, 2004
South Korea on Tuesday reacted calmly to the US announcement to withdraw up to 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia, as Seoul and Washington had already begun negotiating a cut in the number of US troops here.

"There will be no big change for us," South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon told journalists before attending a cabinet meeting.

The United States has already announced plans to withdraw about 12,500 troops, one-third of its 37,000-strong contingent in South Korea.

"In our case, consultations are under way on reducing the US troops by 12,500. When and how to cut the troops are to be discussed in detail with the US side," Ban added.

Ban said he was well aware of the US troop realignment announcement as Washington had informed Seoul of the plan in advance.

The planned troop realignment has sparked security jitters among South Koreans amid an unresolved showdown with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

At previous talks on realigning US troops in South Korea, Seoul and Washington have agreed not to weaken its deterrent against North Korea.

The Pentagon said last month Seoul and Washington agreed to redeploy an estimated 8,000 US troops in Seoul to new military facilities in Pyongtaek, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the capital by December 2008.

Both sides also agreed to eventually pull out the 14,000-strong US 2nd Infantry Division from a frontline with North Korea to Pyongtaek with the final decision on the relocation timing yet to be made by their leaders.

WAR.WIRE