Over 12,000 U.S. Troops To Leave South Korea

U.S. troop levels in South Korea will go from a previous 37,500 to around 25,000 by the end of 2007, but this won’t lessen the U.S. commitment to defending the country, senior officials have said. Modern technology allows for more defense capability with fewer troops.Previous decisions that remain to be accomplished include moving U.S. and international military headquarters out of Seoul by 2008. Repositioning U.S. forces from north of the Han River to two hubs south of Seoul will occur sometime in 2007 or 2008. Changes are being made to the existing defense structure because the Republic of Korea is now the 10th largest economy in the world and fields a much more effective military force than in the past.