South Korea denies talks held about US troop withdrawal amid Pentagon review

South Korea’s defence ministry denied that it was talking to the US about pulling out some of its 28,500 soldiers stationed in the East Asian country.

The Wall Street Journal had reported that the Donald Trump administration was “weighing a withdrawal of thousands of American troops from South Korea”.

Citing unnamed defence officials familiar with the discussions, the newspaper said that “an option being developed by the Pentagon is to pull out roughly 4,500 troops and move them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific region, including Guam”.

In a statement contradicting the report, the South’s defence ministry said it remained committed to working closely with the US to uphold a strong joint military posture aimed at deterring North Korea.

Seoul and Washington agreed a five-year deal on defence cost-sharing last year, but Mr Trump recently indicated that expenses tied to the American military presence could become a point of negotiation in broader trade talks. But South Korean officials insisted on tackling the issue of defence contributions separately.

The agreement mandates Seoul to pay $1.1bn in 2026 for the upkeep of the US forces, an 8.3 per cent increase from 2025.

The ministry said that alongside its own military, the US forces in Korea, have “contributed to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula by maintaining a firm combined defence posture and deterring North Korea’s invasion and provocation”, state news agency Yonhap reported. “We will continue to cooperate with the US side to advance in such a direction.”

South Korea is set to hold a snap presidential election on 3 June following months of political upheaval that has left a leadership void as Seoul looks to ease US tariffs on its export-driven economy.

In its report, the Wall Street Journal said the Pentagon was preparing the idea of withdrawing troops from South Korea for “consideration by president Trump as part of an informal policy review on dealing with North Korea”.

The report emerged amid speculation that Washington could pursue greater “strategic flexibility” for US forces in Korea, expanding their role to counter China’s rising assertiveness rather than focusing solely on North Korean threats, Yonhap noted.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly ordered the Pentagon’s next National Defence Strategy to emphasise “burden-sharing” with allies and countering China’s influence. The strategy, due by 31 August, could include hiking South Korea’s financial contribution for hosting American forces.