US Debating to Cut Troops as Well

We have heard this before but the US military is once again entertaining the idea of more troop cuts in Korea:

The U.S. Forces Korea are reportedly mulling additional troop cuts after Seoul announced it will trim its own forces down from 680,000 to 500,000 by the year 2020. “When the government announced its plans to cut 180,000 men from the armed forces, the USFK internally started to acknowledge the need for cuts as well,” a high-ranking government source said Monday.

The source said there were some among USFK brass who wonder whether there is any point maintaining the substantial American contingent here to deter the North Korean threat even as South Korea is slimming down its forces.

This could be the build up for political cover if the Korean government does not complete the base relocation land deal in Pyoengtaek. Instead of saying the US is reducing troops in Korea because of the failed land deal, the politicians can say that the reductions are part of the overall reduction of troops on the peninsula in coordination with the ROK Army’s own downsizing.