US Forces in Korea: No Talk of Withdrawal, Says South Korea’s Foreign Minister Nominee

South Korea’s Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun said Tuesday that Seoul and Washington have yet to hold any discussions on the possibility of withdrawing or downsizing the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea.

“The issues related to the withdrawal or downsizing of the USFK weren’t discussed at all,” Cho stated in a document submitted to the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee ahead of his parliamentary confirmation hearing.

Cho’s statement addresses recent reports suggesting that the Trump administration seeks to adjust the USFK’s role to focus on deterring threats from China.

In line with this goal, the Trump administration has been intensifying its demands for allies and partners to increase defense spending. It has stipulated that South Korea and other Asian allies should meet the new “global standard” of allocating 5 percent of their gross domestic product to defense. Recently, NATO member states agreed to raise their defense spending target from the current 2 percent to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

Highlighting Washington’s demands and the growing pressure on Seoul to shoulder more defense costs for maintaining the USFK, Cho reaffirmed the Foreign Ministry’s position that the latest South Korea-US defense cost-sharing agreement for 2026-2030 should be upheld.

“Our government’s stance is that the 12th Special Measures Agreement, which was effectively agreed upon and is currently in force, is not subject to renegotiation,” Cho explained. “We intend to actively communicate to the US about South Korea’s extensive and continually expanding contributions to the alliance, including the costs of maintaining US troops on the peninsula.”

Under the 12th SMA signed with Washington during the Biden administration, Seoul is set to pay 1.52 trillion KRW (1.14 billion USD) next year for the USFK’s presence, up from 1.4 trillion KRW (1.05 billion USD) this year.

The nominee pledged to advance the long-standing South Korea-US alliance by establishing a joint future-oriented vision and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation.

Cho indirectly criticized the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s North Korea policy, which focused on “establishing peace through strength,” suggesting it had been ineffective.

“In practical terms, no progress was made in resolving North Korea’s nuclear issues. Instead, the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities became more advanced, accompanied by an increase in missile provocations,” the nominee pointed out.

Cho stated that the Lee Jae Myung administration will address North Korea’s nuclear issues by reviving inter-Korean dialogue and building trust with Pyongyang.