The latest: Donald Trump won’t negotiate US troop numbers with Kim Jong-un, says Defence Secretary Jim Mattis
Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday that only Seoul would be allowed to weigh in on the 28,000 US troops stationed in South Korea
US President Donald Trump will not negotiate the removal of US troops from South Korea in his meeting with Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, Defence Secretary James Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday.
“I don’t believe” troop levels are on the agenda, Mattis said, and when asked if he would know if such discussions were planned, he responded: “Yeah, I sure would.”
A discussion about reducing the approximately 28,000 US troops in South Korea “would be between two democracies” and “not something that other countries would have initial domain over,” Mattis said.
“It starts between our two countries,” so any discussion “would be premature as we wait for the outcome of the negotiations” in Singapore, Mattis added.
Asked whether North Korean military was on edge or showing unusual activity while its commander was in Singapore, Mattis said that “All’s quiet” on the peninsula.
Questions about troop levels arose after US officials repeatedly said the Trump administration isn’t pursuing regime change in North Korea and is willing to offer undefined security guarantees to Kim’s regime. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated that promise during a briefing with reporters in Singapore on Monday.
