Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back announced that the Ministry of Defense plans to reduce the number of troops stationed at border units "gradually" by 2040, alleviating concerns over a rapid decrease in personnel.

According to Yonhap News Agency, earlier this week, Ahn informed reporters about the ministry's intention to reduce troop numbers at general outposts near the inter-Korean border to approximately 6,000 from the current 22,000. This reduction will be facilitated by the implementation of surveillance systems equipped with artificial intelligence technology.

Ahn's remarks initially raised concerns about a rapid decrease in troop numbers at border units, which could potentially lead to a gap in the military's surveillance capabilities. However, Ahn clarified the timeline for this reduction, emphasizing that it will be executed by 2040 after undergoing phased reviews.

In a Facebook post, Ahn stated, "(The planned reduction in troops) was a goal to be executed by the year 2040 after phased review," urging that the plan should not be interpreted as an immediate decrease in troop numbers.