Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday the U.S. plans to maintain its current 28,500-strong force in South Korea despite the Pentagon having to cut at least $500 billion from its budget over the next decade, Reuters reported Monday.
David Alexander writes Hagel visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone and also observed a joint exercise between U.S. and South Korean troops, where soldiers launched live ammunition and explosives at a target.
Hagel is visiting South Korea over four days to observe the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea security alliance, Alexander reports.
“We’ll continue to do what we’ve got to do to manage those (spending) reductions, (and) at the same time assure our partners … specifically here in the Asia-Pacific that our commitments still stand,” Hagel said, according to Reuters.
