Seoul: A U.S. think tank has recommended a significant reduction in the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troop level from the current 28,500 to about 10,000. This proposal comes amid speculation that the Pentagon might consider a troop drawdown on the Korean Peninsula to focus on deterring threats from China.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Defense Priorities, a Washington-based institution, released a report titled "Aligning global military posture with U.S. interests." The report suggests that the U.S. troop presence should be reduced even further if South Korea limits the U.S. ability to use USFK assets to address regional security crises outside the peninsula. The report was authored by Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow and director of military analysis at the think tank, and Dan Caldwell, a former senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The think tank has recommended cutting all ground combat units not tied to base security from South Korea. This includes Army signal, intelligence, headquarters units, and some associated support and sustainment units. Such a reduction would remove most of the 2nd Infantry Division from Korea, including the rotational brigade combat team and Army combat aviation units.
The report also calls for a reduction in airpower based in Korea. It suggests moving two fighter squadrons from U.S. bases in South Korea back to the U.S., and returning about a third of air maintenance and other support units and personnel to stateside bases. Overall, this would reduce the U.S. military presence in South Korea by more than 50 percent, leaving about 10,000 personnel along with two fighter squadrons and support forces.
The think tank argues for troop reduction, citing that Seoul has not provided the U.S. with "unrestricted contingency access" to use its bases for operations elsewhere during a conflict. The report also notes that U.S. forces left in South Korea might be sidelined in a regional war.
In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is considering pulling out roughly 4,500 troops from South Korea and relocating them to other areas in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam. However, the Pentagon dismissed the report, reiterating America's commitment to the defense of South Korea.
The authors of the report advocate for realigning the U.S. military posture in East Asia to focus on balancing Chinese power and protecting U.S. interests, while shifting more frontline defense responsibilities to allies like Japan and the Philippines. They also emphasize the need for the U.S. global military posture review to focus on four priorities: defending the homeland, preventing the rise of a rival regional hegemon, burden shifting to allies and partners, and protecting U.S. economic security.
Kavanagh mentioned that the report has been widely shared in Washington, and the authors aim to discuss it with Trump administration officials. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. permanent representative to NATO, has stated that the U.S. global force posture review is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby is anticipated to play a crucial role in reshaping the U.S. force posture and missions.
In a previous interview with Yonhap News Agency, Colby advocated for an adjustment of USFK's role to focus more on threats from China rather than primarily countering North Korean challenges. He also stressed the importance of South Korea taking greater responsibility for its own defense.