GYERYONGDAE, South Korea, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun pledged Friday to build a stronger self-defense capability to cope with a major reduction of U.S. troops in the peninsula.
In an Army Day speech, Roh also said the decades-long alliance between South Korea and the United States would remain strong to deter North Korea.
"Our armed forces have already matured into world class troops, but this does not mean that our status is sufficient," Roh told military leaders at the joint headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force in Gyeryongdae, 90 miles south of Seoul.
"We need to focus our efforts on building a self-defense capability," he said.
South Korea is set to shoulder more of its own defense burden with the planned withdrawal of about one-third of the 37,000 U.S. troops long based on the divided peninsula.
"The South Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to play a role in maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia as well as on the Korean peninsula," Roh said.
