The U.S. government has dismissed North Korea's demand for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea.

A U.S. Department of Defense official stressed that the U.S. will continue to keep forces in South Korea to maintain strategic flexibility and for political and geographical reasons.

The remarks follow North Korea’s recent call for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the South in a joint editorial carried by North Korean newspapers on January first.

This marks the first time since 2007 for Pyongyang to touch on the issue of U.S. troop withdrawal from South Korea.