Washington has said it plans to withdraw by next year 12,500 of some 37,000 US troops stationed here since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

South Korea, which is still technically at war with communist North Korea, has asked for the troop cut to be delayed by at least 2006, or preferably to 2008, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing defense officials.

Defense analysts here have said Seoul, jittery about security, may need time to prepare itself to cover the US military phase-out.

"We surely want to push it back," a South Korean defense ministry official told AFP, refusing to give details about the two-day military talks that began on Thursday.

"Both sides are still having tense talks on the timing on reducing the US troops."

The talks followed an announcement this week by US President George W. Bush that up to 70,000 troops would eventually leave Europe and Asia in a move related to the "war on terror" and meeting other new threats.

The US realignment has sparked security fears among some South Koreans as Seoul is only 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the heavily-fortified demilitarized zone that divides the North and South.

But Washington has insisted any withdrawal will not weaken its deterrent against North Korea, citing the deployment here of advanced military equipment.

If both sides fail to iron out the differences at the talks, the issue can be referred to the annual US-South Korean security consultation meeting between their defense chiefs in October, YTN cable news television said.

After the latest military alliance talks, both sides are to initial agreements on relocating US military headquarters from Seoul to Pyongtaek, some 80 kilometers south of the capital by 2008.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had a telephone conversation early Friday with his South Korean counterpart Yoon Kwang-Ung on the ongoing military talks, defense ministry spokesman Nam Dae-Yeon said.

"The US defense secretary said he expected these military talks to proceed well and hoped that future plans will go as scheduled," Nam said.

Rumsfeld also called for making "joint efforts" to strengthen the military alliance while appreciating Seoul's dispatch of troops to support the US-led war in Iraq, he said.

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