South Korea and the United States have not discussed reducing U.S. troop presence in the country, despite reports suggesting otherwise. The issue is reportedly linked with defense cost negotiations and ongoing trade discussions.

On Wednesday, local media were given access to the Korea Air and Space Operations Center (KAOC), a highly secured command post located within Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, about 60km south of Seoul.

Seoul and Washington agreed a five-year deal on defence cost-sharing last year, but Mr Trump recently indicated that expenses tied to the American military presence could become a point of negotiation in broader trade talks. But South Korean officials insisted on tackling the issue of defence contributions separately.

South Korea has earmarked a budget of $222bn for the five-year period spanning 2021 to 2025 to strengthen its defence posture.

U.S. Naval Special Warfare operators and South Korea's Naval Special Warfare Flotilla took part in nighttime training at Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex near Pocheon, South Korea, the U.S. Special Operations Command-Korea announced in a Facebook post on Monday.

South Korea’s military firmly denied that any discussions have taken place with the United States regarding a potential withdrawal of American troops from the peninsula, following a media report suggesting the White House was considering such a move.

Eight decades after the partition of the Korean peninsula, the Catholic Church in South Korea remains one of the few actors that, with perseverance and faith, keeps alive the hope for reconciliation between the two Koreas.

Participating U.S. forces included the Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence and a maritime patrol aircraft, according to South Korean naval officials. South Korea contributed roughly 10 aircraft and 10 warships, including the destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I.

The conditions that enabled U.S. diplomacy with North Korea in 2018 no longer exist. The Trump administration needs to reckon with that. The post Trump Is Dealing With a Very Different North Korea Than Before appeared first on World Politics Review.