Uri Party floor leader Chun Jung-bae has quoted U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz as saying that Washington is willing to actively consider Seoul’s call to delay the timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in South Korea.

Chun, who is visiting Washington, met with Wolfowitz on Thursday. He reiterated Seoul’s call that Washington delay its troop cutback period in line with Seoul’s concerns over a security vacuum on the Korean Peninsula that might arise if Washington pulls out 12,500 of its troops from South Korea by the end of next year.

Wolfowitz reportedly replied that Washington will reach a final decision on the matter after fully hearing out Seoul’s stance, adding that he is confident that the final U.S. decision on the issue will be satisfactory for Seoul.