Implementation of Unpaid Leave Detailed, US Pressures Again for Major Increase in Defense Costs... Defense Spending Discussed at Blue House NSC

7th Round of Negotiations Between Representatives Uncertain
Attention on April 24 South Korea-US Defense Ministers Meeting... US Expected to Discuss Defense Cost Negotiations
Speculation That Both Sides May Fail to Reach Agreement Before April

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As negotiations on the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing between South Korea and the United States face difficulties, pressure from the U.S., which is demanding a significant increase in the contribution amount, is intensifying as the deadline approaches. While the United States Forces Korea (USFK) is finalizing plans for unpaid leave for Korean workers, the U.S. side has announced that it will bring up the defense cost issue at the upcoming South Korea-U.S. Defense Ministers Meeting next week, applying renewed pressure.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies on the 22nd, both South Korea and the U.S. have yet to schedule a follow-up meeting between their defense cost-sharing negotiation representatives. Last month, Jeong Eun-bo, South Korea’s SMA negotiator, and James DeHart, the U.S. Department of State’s defense cost-sharing negotiator, held their first and sixth meeting during the agreement gap period in the U.S., but no significant progress was made, and negotiations between the representatives have not resumed for over a month. Considering that defense cost-sharing negotiations have been held at intervals of two weeks to a month, it appears both sides are deeply deliberating.

Officials from the South Korea-U.S. negotiation teams have continued non-face-to-face consultations since last month’s in-person talks but seem to be struggling to reach a comprehensive agreement. A government source said, "Consultations are ongoing via phone and email at various levels," adding, "It is difficult to mention a schedule for South Korea-U.S. representative negotiations to be held in Seoul." Earlier, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also appeared before the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary session and, when asked if the defense cost-sharing negotiations were nearly concluded on a broad scale, replied, "It seems premature to say that," but added, "Both sides agree on the need for an early conclusion due to their circumstances."

While the gap between South Korea and the U.S. regarding the increase in contribution remains wide, the USFK has been pressuring the Korean side by repeatedly notifying Korean workers employed by the USFK of unpaid leave policies.

At the end of last month, the USFK notified Korean workers that unpaid leave could be implemented starting in April. On the 18th, Commander Robert Abrams and Chief of Staff Major General Steven Williams met directly with Choi Eung-sik, chairman of the National Korean Workers’ Union of the USFK, stating, "Allocated funds (for wages) will be exhausted by March 31," and "Without an agreement on defense cost-sharing, the USFK will deplete all funds and must prepare for potential unpaid leave." They added that such potential unpaid leave would significantly impact both the USFK and Korean employees, continuing strong pressure.

The U.S. Department of Defense has also stepped in again. On the 19th (local time), William Burns, Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned in a briefing that the 9,000 Korean workers at the USFK represent a considerable number and said, "Negotiations are ongoing, and there are several options regarding the numbers." He indirectly indicated the timing is near by revealing more specific plans to implement unpaid leave based on prioritizing tasks. Deputy Chief Burns emphasized, "If necessary, we will have to prioritize the tasks provided by the workers."

Some expect that the South Korea-U.S. Defense Ministers Meeting next week will be a decisive factor in the final stage of negotiations. In fact, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the defense cost-sharing issue will be addressed at the meeting scheduled for the 24th in Washington, D.C. Jonathan Hoffman, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated, "Since the 1950s, our forces have been stationed there and will continue to be so. We have been working toward an agreement to cover the costs of the forces. This will obviously be a topic of discussion."

The Blue House also held a National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong the previous day, discussing ways to further strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance through the Defense Ministers Meeting in the U.S. on the 24th, as well as reviewing measures to conclude the ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations. A diplomatic source said, "It is judged to be a process of finding mutual justification regarding the scale of the contribution increase," and analyzed, "Next week’s South Korea-U.S. Defense Ministers Meeting will be another opportunity to confirm any changes in the U.S. position."

Meanwhile, CNN reported on the 20th (local time), citing a senior U.S. State Department official, that despite six rounds of defense cost-sharing negotiations, the gap between South Korea and the U.S. has not narrowed as much as expected, raising concerns that the two sides may fail to reach an agreement before April. An anonymous senior State Department official claimed that while the U.S. adjusted its position over the six rounds of negotiations, South Korea moved much less in comparison.

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