U.S. plans additional cut of troop levels in S. Korea

The U.S. military plans additional cut of troop levels in South Korea aside from a previously agreed reduction to 25,000, U.S. media reported Monday.

Some Pentagon officials were quoted as saying that the plan accords with adjustments of U.S. military capabilities in the Asia- Pacific region and the additional cut won't be "substantial reduction."

The Pentagon previously announced that it will downsize the number of U.S. forces in South Korea to 25,000 by 2008 under its global troop realignment scheme.

Meanwhile, U.S. military sources also said South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) and the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) will serve as independent commands under a "joint defense system" after Seoul retrieves wartime operational control over its troops.

Seoul has set the target year for command transfer at 2012, while Washington wants to hand it over by 2009.

The two countries will try to settle their difference in the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held between their defense ministers in Washington D.C. in October.

South Korea took back the authority to control its military during peacetime in 1994 but wartime control has remained in the combined command of South Korea and the United States.

Source: Xinhua