WASHINGTON: A former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives said Tuesday that he has not seen any desire for a drawdown of American troops in South Korea amid concerns that former President Donald Trump could consider such a move should he return to office.
Kevin McCarthy, a key supporter of Trump, made the remarks in a meeting with reporters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the Republican National Convention is underway for a four-day schedule that runs through Thursday.
“I have not seen any desire for reduction now,” he said in response to a question about whether Trump, if reelected, would seek any change in the number of U.S. troops in Korea. Currently, 28,500 troops are assigned to U.S. Forces Korea.
McCarthy underscored the importance of cooperation between South Korea and Japan, and the technology employed for national defense.
“I think the other thing that we look at is the synergy between what the growth with Korea and Japan now,” he said, apparently referring to growing cooperation between S
eoul and Tokyo in the face of evolving North Korean threats.
“And remember protection is not always going to come down to troop numbers. Technology matters,” he added, noting that there will be the “transformation of a greater protection” in the event of Trump’s return to the White House.
McCarthy also anticipated that Korea will be safer under Trump.
“Remember when Trump was in, North Korea stopped testing their missiles. Unfortunately, they were testing again,” he said. “I actually believe (that) with Trump in, Korea is safer and the world becomes safer from that point too.”
On Monday, the GOP convention formally nominated Trump as its standard-bearer for the Nov. 5 presidential election. The event was carefully watched in Seoul as well amid expectations that Trump, if reelected, would bring about a shift in America’s foreign and security policy.
Source: Yonhap News Agency
