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US Defense Secretary: No Orders Issued to Change Military Force in Korea

Carla Babb

   WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he has "issued no
   orders to withdraw from the Korean peninsula," while also sounding the
   alarm on Chinese "bad behavior" that he says has picked up since the
   start of the coronavirus pandemic.

   Speaking about Asia from the Pentagon, Esper on Tuesday left open the
   possibility of a future reduction of troops in South Korea, saying the
   Pentagon will continue to look at potential force size adjustments at
   every command, in every theater, to make sure it is optimizing its
   forces.

   "I continue to want to pursue more rotational forces, force deployments
   into theaters, because it gives us, the United States, greater
   strategic flexibility in terms of responding to challenges around the
   globe," the defense secretary said during a virtual event hosted by the
   International Institute for Strategic Studies.

   The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the Pentagon was
   drawing up plans to reduce its forces in South Korea below the current
   number of 28,500 personnel, as the two countries remain at an impasse
   over President Donald Trump's demand that Seoul greatly increase how
   much it pays for U.S. troops stationed in the country.

   Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow and defense expert at the Brookings
   Institution, says he disagrees with the use of more U.S. rotational
   deployments on the Korean peninsula because they "wear out a small
   force."

   "Better to signal resoluteness, and reduce the burden on people, with
   more stable and permanent stationing abroad, especially in countries
   with good amenities and qualities of life," O'Hanlon said, citing
   Germany, South Korea and Poland as great examples.

   Chinese 'bad behavior" and hints of a potential visit

   On China, Esper on Tuesday slammed recent Chinese military "bad
   behavior" that has raised concerns across the region.

   "We've seen it pick up in the last six months since the COVID-19 hit,"
   he said, referring to the disease caused by the global coronavirus
   pandemic.

   Esper said he hopes to visit China for the first time as secretary
   before the end of the year, although the Pentagon did not provide
   further details on a potential visit.

   The defense secretary called out China for "regularly disrespecting
   rights of other nations," pointing to a recent large-scale offensive
   exercise simulating the seizure of a Taiwanese island as "a
   destabilizing activity that significantly increases the risk of
   miscalculation."

   He also slammed China for its land reclamation and continued military
   exercises around disputed land features in the

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