WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (AFP) - US national security advisory Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that US military power on the Korean peninsula will be stronger even if 12,000 troops are withdrawn under a controversial troop withdrawal plan.
"The American commitment to the Korean peninsula remains strong and the alliance between the United States and South Korea could not be stronger," Rice told Fox News Channel in response to criticism of the administration plan.
President George W. Bush this week announced a plan to bring 60,000-70,000 US troops back to the United States, opening up criticism from Democratic presidential contender John Kerry that this could weaken military alliances and endanger efforts to contain North Korea's nuclear programme.
US troops have been in South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War and Rice said the United States had to consider a change of its force structure.
"What we are doing there is consolidating some of the many facilities that are no longer needed. We are moving our forces to places where they will be not so close to Seoul and, therefore, not an irritant to the population of South Korea," Rice said in the interview.
"Yes, the numbers will come down but that is more than made up for with the capability that we have in air capability, in land, in sea capability, and in the fact that our ground forces are now more capable technologically than they were 50 years ago," she added.
"As a matter of fact, I think we strengthen those capabilities once we achieve these changes," Rice told CNN in a separate interview.
Kerry has been joined by Republican senator, John McCain, in criticising the troop move as a threat to negotiated efforts to halt North Korea's nuclear arms programme.
"Well, I would assume that (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-il is able to assess capabilities, not numbers," Rice told CNN. "And the numbers have nothing to do with our capabilities there."
She said that South Korean forces, as well as US, are stronger and better equipped.
"Our air and sea power contribute more to the deterrent. This is a very powerful deterrent against Kim Jong-il. And he would make a terrible mistake in reading anything into it."
She said the United States had spoken with South Korea and other partners about the troop withdrawal. "Everybody understands that we're standing firm on the North Korean nuclear programme," she said.