U.S. generals oppose South Korea troop cuts

As U.S. President Donald Trump signals plans to link defense cost-sharing with future tariff negotiations with South Korea, top U.S. military commanders overseeing the Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific region expressed strong opposition to reducing or withdrawing American troops stationed in South Korea.

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on April 10, Indo-Pacific Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo warned that pulling out U.S. forces would embolden North Korea.

“With the loss of the force on the Korean Peninsula, there’s a higher probability that [Kim Jong Un] would invade,” Paparo said. “Inherently, it would reduce our ability to prevail in conflict.”

His remarks highlighted concerns that troop reductions could undermine regional stability and provoke aggression from Pyongyang.

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, who also testified at the hearing, said the current troop level is appropriate and warned that any cuts would be “problematic.”

“We gain a lot [from our presence in Korea],” Brunson said. “There are financial elements, but also irreplaceable material and logistical support.”

He noted that the U.S. Navy uses South Korean shipyards for vessel maintenance and emphasized that American forces play a critical role in strengthening the Indo-Pacific Command’s surveillance and deterrence capabilities against North Korea.


Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com