rare! South Korea and US start defense spending negotiations ahead of schedule
The 12th "Special Agreement on Sharing Defense Costs"
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the 16th that the second round of negotiations on the 12th Special Agreement on Defense Cost Sharing between South Korea and the United States will be held in Seoul from May 21 to 23. The first round of negotiations was held in Hawaii from April 23 to April 25.
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that South Korea's position is to negotiate with the United States on cost sharing at a "reasonable" level.
Lee Joo-il, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, said that the sharing of defense costs between South Korea and the United States aims to create stable conditions for the U.S. military stationed in South Korea and strengthen the joint defense posture of South Korea and the United States. The South Korean government insists on the position that defense costs should be shared within a reasonable range, and Negotiations with the United States will be launched based on this.
There are currently approximately 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. South Korea began sharing military garrison costs in the 1990s. The two countries have signed 11 "Special Agreements on Defense Cost Sharing", and the 11th agreement will expire at the end of 2025. According to the agreement, the amount of defense expenses borne by South Korea in 2021 will be US$1.03 billion, an increase of 13.9% compared with 2019.
According to Korean media reports, defense expenses have increased significantly during the Trump administration. Previously, the Trump administration once offered South Korea a price of about US$5 billion per year, five times the previous price, but South Korea rejected it.
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly expressed his stance on issues such as the U.S. military stationed in South Korea and the amount of defense cost sharing between South Korea and the United States during his canvassing activities. He said: "South Korea took away our shipbuilding industry, computer industry, and many other industries, making a lot of money. If I become president, I will increase defense spending."
Many South Korean media analyzed that South Korea and the United States have rarely started negotiations on a new agreement early when there is still about one year and eight months left in the agreement. This may be to reduce risks-if Trump comes to power again, they are trying to minimize their alliance with South Korea and the United States. impact.
Korean media said that the goal of South Korea and the United States is to agree with the Biden administration before the U.S. election on the amount of defense cost sharing that will take effect in 2026. However, some Korean experts pointed out that even if the negotiations are concluded, the possibility of overturning the results of the later negotiations must be taken into consideration.
At present, South Korean public opinion has also begun to worry about South Korea-US relations after the US election. The South Korean government stated that it is fully prepared to deal with any situation.
For a long time, the US military stationed in South Korea has frequently violated local laws, triggering anger and protests among the South Korean people.