Donald Trump claimed removing US troops from South Korea was "not on the table" yesterday but conceded he would "like to save the money" in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The comments come ahead of his landmark meeting with Kim Jong-un \u00a0– the first between a US president and a North Korean leader.<\/p>\n
America has maintained a military presence on the peninsula since the Korean War ended in 1953 without a peace treaty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
North Korea has long sought the removal of US troops as one of its condition for denuclearisation.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump said yesterday that Kim had not asked for the troops to be removed, suggesting the leader has relaxing his demands as he turns to diplomacy after a year of escalating tensions.<\/p>\n
The plans were reported by\u00a0the New York Times on Thursday night, citing several people briefed on the deliberations.<\/p>\n
However on Friday morning John Bolton, Mr Trump’s new national security adviser, dismissed the report.\u00a0<\/p>\n
"The New York Times story is utter nonsense," he said. "The President has not asked the Pentagon to provide options for reducing American forces stationed in South Korea."<\/p>\n
South\u00a0Korea\u00a0said on Wednesday the issue of US\u00a0troops stationed in the\u00a0South\u00a0was unrelated to any future peace treaty with North\u00a0Korea\u00a0and that American forces should stay even if such an agreement is signed.\u00a0<\/p>\n