Commander of U.S. Forces Korea General Walter Sharp says that the foremost task of the USFK is to protect South Korea from threats posed by North Korea, and along those lines, the US forces will not be relocated to another region at least for sometime

At the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington on Tuesday, the commander said that the number one priority of the USFK is to defend South Korea and that his forces will devote themselves to the mission for the time being.

The general also said that U.S. service members will be allowed to live with their families in South Korea.

He added that the current number of U.S. troops at 28,500 is appropriate.