U.S. troop cut plan alarms Seoul before new government launch

To focus on containing China, the Donald Trump administration has formalized a restructuring of U.S. troops stationed overseas, including U.S. Forces Korea, and has demanded increased defense spending from Asian allies, including South Korea, stating that China is “pursuing hegemonic power in Asia.” As a result, regardless of who is elected in the June 3 presidential election, it is expected that renegotiations, including the issue of USFK reductions along with tariff talks, will become an urgent matter.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, held in Singapore on May 31 (local time), “China is pursuing hegemonic power in Asia,” and added, “The threat posed by China is real, and that threat may be imminent.”

It is virtually the first time since the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was the main rival, that the U.S. defense chief has labeled a specific country a “hegemonic power.” The Joe Biden administration had previously described China as a “pacing threat” in 2022. With the Trump administration expected to announce its National Defense Strategy (NDS), the highest-level defense guidance, in August, this signals a significant strengthening of its policy to contain China.

In particular, Secretary Hegseth said, “Asian allies must take European countries as an example. NATO member countries contribute 5 percent of their GDP to defense,” he said. He went on to criticize, “Major allies in Asia are facing threats far stronger, not to mention North Korea, but are cutting their defense budgets.” He emphasized that Asian allies, including South Korea, should significantly increase their defense budgets relative to GDP to contain not only North Korea but also China.

He also stated, “We are shifting the direction of U.S. strategy to deter Chinese aggression.” He further warned against falling for the so-called “security with the U.S. and economy with China” temptation, known in Korea as “Anmi-gyeongjung (安美經中).”

Accordingly, there are increasing observations that the Trump administration will begin in earnest to demand increased defense spending from allies such as South Korea, along with a restructuring of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region, including adjustments to U.S. Forces Korea. The Trump administration has recently begun to officially raise the need for such a reconfiguration, including reducing the size of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.

As the Trump administration’s security strategy of pressuring China and increasing allied burden-sharing becomes more concrete, some analysts say that the early foreign policy direction of South Korea’s new government will be a key factor in shaping the future of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. A diplomatic source said on June 1, “The key to managing alliance risk will not just be how many U.S. troops are reduced, but how much the new president cooperates with the U.S. policy to deter China.”


Na-Ri Shin [email protected]