US not seeking to reduce forces in South Korea

US President Donald Trump has not asked the Pentagon for options to reduce US forces based in South Korea, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said in a statement yesterday.

His comment comes after the New York Times, citing several people briefed on the deliberations, reported on Thursday that the president was seeking options to curb the number of American troops stationed in South Korea.

"The New York Times story is utter nonsense. The president has not asked the Pentagon to provide options for reducing American forces stationed in South Korea," Bolton said.

Trump's potential moves on the Korean peninsula come as the US president is poised to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The Trump administration is also engaged in efforts to secure the release of three Americans imprisoned in North Korea.

In another development, the White House warned Thursday that China would face "consequences" for its military buildup in contested waters in the western Pacific.

Sanders did not say what the consequences would be.

The South China Sea -- which sits between Vietnam, the Philippines, China and several other countries -- is subject to a myriad of competing territorial claims.

Beijing Thursday reasserted its right to build "defense" facilities in the disputed region, but declined to confirm reports it had installed new missiles on artificial islands it had built.

Beijing sees the area as key to pushing its defenses beyond China's coast and securing oil supply routes.