Number of U.S. troops in Korea to remain same despite budget cut

A top U.S. defense official says Pentagon's plan to cut the army's overall troop numbers will NOT affect the number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.
Speaking at a forum in Washington this week, Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Christine Fox said the U.S. military operations in Korea will not be affected, as they are crucial to ensure the security of the Korean peninsula.
She added the U.S. military rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region will also not change.
Currently, there are slightly over 28-thousand U.S. troops stationed in Korea.
Earlier this week, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel unveiled plans to cut U.S. army numbers by between 70 and 80-thousand.