Seoul, Washington Agree to Keep Current US Troop Level

South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee and his U.S. counterpart Robert M. Gates Tuesday agreed to maintain American forces at the current level.

There are 28,500 American troops in South Korea

"The defense ministers shared the view that maintaining the number of U.S. troops at the current level contributes to the joint combat readiness, and agreed to abide by the summit agreement between the two sides," a South Korean defense official was quoted as saying.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush held a summit in April in Washington, D.C.