Northeast Asia-focused experts and the South Korean media reacted derisively to Donald Trump’s Saturday interview with the New York Times (NYT), in which he suggested the potential withdrawal of U.S. military forces in Seoul and Tokyo and their possible nuclear acquisition.

Trump, the headline-making front-runner for the Republican nomination has called for South Korea and Japan to pick up more of the tab for their defense. If not, he said the U.S. should reconsider its strategy.