Trump Wants South Korea to Up Payments for U.S. Troop Presence
By Debbie Gregory.
By Debbie Gregory.
President Trump wants South Korea to pay significantly more money for American troops stationed in South Korea, a demand that has met with total resistance.
As Seoul and Washington negotiate how to shoulder defense costs in the coming years, there are fears that Trump might threaten an abrupt troop drawdown at a time of sensitive diplomacy on the Korean peninsula.
Despite 10 rounds of talks since March of last year, the allies have failed to strike an accord to replace a 2014 deal that expired in 2018.
There are reports that U.S. negotiators have sought an increase of between 50 and 150 percent increase in Seoul’s annual payment, which could result in a price tag upwards of $1.2 billion. The cost last year was approximately $830 million.
Since 1991, the allies have held talks to draw up special-measures agreements on how the allies share the costs of stationing US Forces Korea here in three sectors — payroll, construction and logistics — to support its stable presence and protect against North Korea’s military threats.
“The Koreans want to keep the status quo,” said one U.S. official.
Trump believes that U.S. allies have taken advantage of American military protection for decades. But many South Korean officials feel otherwise, saying that they already pay more to the U.S. than almost every other American ally except Japan.
“If it was reasonable, we’d go along,” said Song Young-gil, a member of the National Assembly. “But the Trumpian way of unilaterally pushing for double, accusing us of free riding — we can’t cave to that … Whether it’s Korean money or American money, it’s taxpayer funds.”
Trump’s ability to withdraw troops is limited. Congress last year passed a law barring the Pentagon from reducing troop levels in Korea below 22,000 unless he certifies to Congress that doing so is in U.S. national security interest.
About 70 percent of South Korea’s contribution covers the salaries of some 8,700 South Korean employees who provide administrative, technical and other services for the U.S. military.
The friction comes as the allies seek to maintain a united front to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.
Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,
