S. KOREA OPPOSES US TROOP CUT

June 14, 1989

South Korea has rejected a call by United States Senator Carl Levin for a reduction of American troops stationed here from 43,000 to 10,000 over a five year period. Defense Minister Lee Sang-hoon told the National Assembly's Defense Committee that any change in the level of the US forces in the near future could tempt communist North Korea to invade the South. US and South Korean officials say Pyongyang enjoys roughly a 2-to-1 advantage over Seoul in military strength since the Korean War.