▁U . S . ▁continued ▁to ▁maintain ▁diplom atic ▁contacts ▁with ▁the ▁RO C ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Taiwan ▁Rel ations ▁Act . ▁ ▁South ▁Korea ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁Carter ' s ▁first ▁acts ▁was ▁to ▁order ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁troops ▁from ▁South ▁Korea , ▁which ▁had ▁hosted ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁U . S . ▁military ▁personnel ▁since ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Korean ▁War . ▁Carter ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁soldiers ▁could ▁be ▁put ▁to ▁better ▁use ▁in ▁Western ▁Europe , ▁but ▁oppon ents ▁of ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁fe ared ▁that ▁North ▁Korea ▁would ▁in va de ▁South ▁Korea ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁withdraw al . ▁South ▁Korea ▁and ▁Japan ▁both ▁protest ed ▁the ▁move , ▁as ▁did ▁many ▁members ▁of ▁Congress , ▁the ▁military , ▁and ▁the ▁State ▁Department . ▁After ▁a ▁strong ▁back l ash , ▁Carter ▁delayed ▁the ▁withdraw al , ▁and ▁ultimately ▁only ▁a ▁fraction ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁left ▁South ▁Korea . ▁Carter ' s ▁attempt ▁to ▁remove ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁from ▁South ▁Korea ▁weak ened ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁South ▁Korean ▁President ▁Park ▁Ch ung - he e , ▁who ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Africa ▁ ▁In ▁sharp ▁contrast ▁to ▁N ixon ▁and ▁Ford , ▁Carter ▁gave ▁priority ▁to ▁sub - S ah ara ▁Africa . ▁The ▁chief ▁policy ▁person ▁was ▁Andrew ▁Young , ▁a ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁black ▁Atlanta ▁community ▁who ▁became ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations