U.S. military reduction will not be soon

Concerning the current dialogue between the two Koreas and the possibility of reunification someday, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Henry H. Shelton said Wednesday that it would be premature for the issue of U.S. military reduction to come to the table.

Facing a question by Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John Warner concerning the possibility of troop reduction in the light of the current atmosphere of peace between the South and North Korea, Gen. Shelton said that although the two Koreas were discussing the continuation of peace for the possibility of future reunification, it would be too soon to start a discussion of military reduction.

Gen. Shelton added that he was supportive of the peace talks and that peace on the peninsula would not only benefit the two Koreas but the rest of the world as well.

He reiterated that while it wouldn't be too hasty to start examining the military reduction possibility, it was too soon to make predictions for a schedule.