Outside the US Table, Pressure Mounts Again for Defense Cost Increase; 7th ROK-US Talks Face Uncertainty

After the 6th Negotiation in the US on the 14th-15th Last Month, Next Schedule Not Set
Minister Kang Kyung-wha: "Both Korea and the US Are Well Aware of the Time Constraints"
US Continues Pressure to Increase Defense Costs Outside the Negotiation Table

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The negotiations on the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) for defense cost-sharing between South Korea and the United States are repeatedly facing difficulties. While U.S. President Donald Trump and the State Department continue to pressure for increased defense costs outside the negotiation table, the negotiation teams from both sides have yet to finalize additional negotiation schedules.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 8th, the negotiation teams from both South Korea and the U.S. held the first negotiation during the agreement gap period in the U.S. on the 14th and 15th of last month, but they have not confirmed the seventh negotiation schedule. A government official explained, "There is no decision made yet regarding the negotiation schedule."

The South Korea-U.S. negotiation teams conducted the fifth round of negotiations last year to conclude the 11th SMA but failed to find common ground. Furthermore, the negotiations held last month, the first since the expiration of the 10th SMA, also ended without a conclusion. At that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Both sides expanded mutual understanding and consensus but confirmed that differences in positions still exist," indirectly revealing the deadlock.

Minister Kang Kyung-wha also stated on the 6th that although mutual understanding has deepened significantly, an agreement must be built based on that understanding. In particular, regarding the inability to schedule additional negotiations after last month's talks, Minister Kang said, "Even if face-to-face consultations are not held in the meantime, communication continues through emails and phone calls," and added, "Both South Korea and the U.S. are well aware that time is tight considering the National Assembly schedule."

Meanwhile, the U.S. has continued to pressure for increased defense costs outside the negotiation table. Immediately after the sixth defense cost negotiation ended in the U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper jointly published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on the 16th of last month, stating, "South Korea is an ally, not a ward." This sparked controversy regarding the timing of the publication.

On the 29th of last month, the United States Forces Korea (USFK) suddenly announced that "the 11th SMA agreement has not been reached," and notified that starting April 1, Korean workers employed by USFK may be subject to temporary unpaid leave, causing controversy. There are concerns that the U.S. side is trying to increase its negotiating leverage by holding Korean USFK workers hostage.

Concerns among Korean workers employed by USFK are growing. The National Union of Korean Workers at USFK stated that they can only see themselves as hostages already and that they have never before been notified individually of unpaid leave plans like this. Amid this, the U.S. State Department urged, "Time is tight," and "South Korea must take action in negotiations as the U.S. has already done."

Adding to this, President Trump has again pressured for increased defense costs during his State of the Union address. On the 4th (local time), at the U.S. House of Representatives, he emphasized fair burden-sharing among allies, mentioning, "We have collected over $400 billion in contributions from NATO member countries, and the number of allies meeting minimum obligations has more than doubled."

The problem is that the agreement must be finalized within February to prevent unfortunate situations such as unpaid leave for Korean USFK workers. Ambassador Jeong Eun-bo, the defense cost-sharing negotiator, has repeatedly stated, "We will conclude promptly," but the process is expected to be challenging. The South Korean negotiation team maintains its position that it cannot accept the U.S. demand for a fivefold increase in the current defense cost, as well as additional defense cost-sharing items.

A diplomatic source explained, "As Ambassador Jeong said, creative alternatives must be politically win-win for both sides," adding, "It seems difficult to achieve a comprehensive settlement immediately."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.