US newspaper reports that ”Partial relocation of US troops in South Korea is being considered” - a challenge facing the new administration in South Korea

The Wall Street Journal reported on the 22nd that the Trump administration is considering withdrawing about 4,500 U.S. troops from South Korea and redeploying them to the Indo-Pacific region, including the U.S. territory of Guam.
Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense denied the report, saying, "Nothing was discussed between South Korea and the United States." The US Department of Defense also said, "It's not true." However, in South Korea,
In response to the report, which came out just before the presidential election on the 13th, the South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh said, "President Trump and other senior members of the US government have been using the US military in Korea for the purpose of 'checking China.'
"Considering the fact that the administration has been pushing for fundamental changes, such as a shift to a military-like system, the issue of US troops in South Korea is likely to be a top priority for the new administration to resolve as soon as it takes office."
The Wall Street Journal reported on the theory of reducing U.S. troops in South Korea, citing two defense officials.
The Defense Department, which is currently promoting reorganization, is apparently considering this as one of its options, but it has not yet made a final decision. The reported figure of 4,500 troops to be withdrawn represents about 15% of the U.S. military in South Korea.
During his first term, US President Rump threatened to reduce and downsize US troops in South Korea and pressured South Korea to increase its defense contribution, but no adjustments were actually made to the troop strength.
On the 23rd, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense denied the Wall Street Journal report, saying, "USFK is the core military force of the ROK-US alliance and will maintain a strong joint defense system with the ROK military.
"By maintaining the security of the Korean peninsula and preventing aggression and provocations from the North, we have contributed to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the region," he said, adding, "We will continue to cooperate with the U.S. side to move in that direction."
According to the news agency Yonhap News, a South Korean military official said, "Any changes to the strength of US troops in South Korea are an issue that requires bilateral consultation based on the spirit of the ROK-US alliance and mutual respect," and
"The South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh responded to the Wall Street Journal report by saying that the South Korean government must take measures such as the Special Military Commission (SCM) and the Military Commission (MCM) to discuss the matter.
With the election approaching on the 3rd of next month and the inauguration of a new administration imminent, the paper said, "The reports in the U.S. media are causing a stir." It added, "Such reports, coming just before the inauguration of a new South Korean administration, are a major obstacle to the defense contributions.
"It could be that this is a move by the U.S. government, taking into consideration pressure for renegotiation of the defense budget," he said, "and threatening to cut U.S. troops in South Korea in order to pressure the new South Korean administration to significantly raise defense spending and join in the effort to contain China."
"The next South Korean administration will thoroughly prepare for and resolve new future security issues for the US Forces Korea and the ROK-US alliance, along with tariff and trade negotiations with the Trump administration," he said.
Meanwhile, the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported in an editorial dated the 24th that the US Department of Defense had denied the Wall Street Journal report, and said, "The US military has no choice but to 'stand up to the Chinese
"The US is calling for regional allies to focus on 'countering the US' and to take responsibility for defense against conventional weapons other than nuclear weapons," he said.
"The military should be reorganized so that South Korea can take on a greater role in defending against attacks by North Korea's conventional weapons," he said, explaining that the "consideration of a 4,500-person reduction" was a kind of teaser.
The editorial continued, "This measure will not create a problem in deterring war on the Korean Peninsula," and "If the U.S. military can provide solid support for surveillance and reconnaissance in addition to deterring nuclear attacks against North Korea,
"If we can do that, we should be able to fully deter war," he said optimistically. "The problem is that the Trump administration is using the USFK card to hold an event with (North Korean) Chairman Kim Jung Eun.
"This is a case where the US military has been stationed in South Korea for a long time," he said, pointing out that "President Trump also halted joint military exercises, which are the core of the ROK-US alliance, in order to realize a US-North Korea summit in 2018."
He said using it as a power card is "a different issue for the next former president," and added, "We don't know what President Trump will do in the future, so we will need to be prepared for this as well."