The US plans to shift some troops stationed in South Korea to deter aggression from the North and redeploy them in Iraq, Seoul's foreign ministry said yesterday.
Kim Sook, the head of the foreign ministry's North America bureau, said the issue was still being discussed, although a South Korean newspaper said a US army brigade of 4,000 troops would be moved to Iraq.
"The United States recently proposed to deploy a part of the United States Forces in Korea in Iraq and the two countries have entered discussions," Kim told a news briefing.
"I want to make it very clear that this issue is about the need to take a part of the United States Forces in Korea and is not related to our deployment," he said.
South Korea has delayed sending 3,000 of its troops to Iraq, which was approved three months ago, amid concerns over security and where they will be stationed.
South Korea currently has 670 military engineers and medics in southern Iraq. This force is due to join the planned second contingent somewhere in the northern region, creating the third largest military presence after the US and Britain.
Kim said discussions between South Korea and the US were at an early stage and it was difficult to say when the redeployment would take place.
The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper quoted a South Korean government official as saying that the US planned to pull an army brigade from the US 2nd Infantry Division, which is based south of the border with North Korea.
The US has 37,000 troops stationed in South Korea and the 2nd Infantry Division with its 14,000 soldiers is the most forward deployed.
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