US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the United States has an “ironclad” commitment to South Korea’s security and will maintain its current number of troops on the Korean Peninsula, despite the suspension of some joint military drills with Seoul.
The Pentagon chief made the comment during a brief visit to Seoul on his way from China to Japan on Thursday.
“The US commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad, and the US will continue to use the full range of diplomatic and military capabilities to uphold this commitment,” Mattis told his South Korean counterpart, Song Young-moo.
Mattis also defended US President Donald Trump’s decision this month to suspend large-scale “war games” with South Korea.
“The recent…