US is leaving open the possibility of a troop drawdown in South Korea

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SINGAPORE (AP) — The United States is not ruling out a reduction in forces deployed to South Korea as the Trump administration determines what presence it needs in the region to best counter China, two senior American defense officials told reporters traveling with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Singapore.

There are 28,500 U.S. troops deployed to South Korea as part of the U.S. long-term commitment to help defend Seoul from any attack from North Korea.

But the U.S. is also trying to array its forces and ships optimally across the Indo-Pacific as a credible deterrent against China for any potential attack on Taiwan and other acts of aggression against allies in the region.

No decision has been made on the number of troops deployed to South Korea, but any future footprint would be optimized not only to defend against Pyongyang but also to deter China, one of the officials said. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss deliberations that have not been made public.

Hegseth is in Singapore to attend his first Shangri-La dialogue as President Donald Trump's defense secretary. His South Korean counterpart is not expected to attend due to elections in Seoul.

A possible reduction in forces was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.