Ambassador Jeong Eun-bo on Defense Cost Negotiations to Announce Government Position on Unpaid Leave of Korean Workers at USFK on the Afternoon of the 28th

Jeong Eun-bo, the Special Representative for U.S.-Korea Defense Cost-Sharing Talks, is briefing on the U.S.-Korea defense cost-sharing negotiations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 19th. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Jung Eun-bo, the Special Representative for the South Korea-U.S. Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations, will express his position on the planned unpaid leave for Korean workers employed by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on the afternoon of the 28th.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "At 3:30 PM, Special Representative Jung Eun-bo will hold a press conference in the briefing room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building regarding the defense cost-sharing negotiations."

At this press conference, the South Korean government's official stance on the unpaid leave for Korean workers employed by the USFK, which the USFK has announced will be implemented starting April 1, is expected to be revealed.

The USFK Command gave Korean workers a preliminary 30-day notice of potential unpaid leave on the same day. This move is being analyzed as a pressure tactic in the defense cost-sharing negotiations, with criticism arising that the U.S. is using Korean employees as "hostages" to gain an advantage in the negotiations.

In a press release, the USFK Command stated, "The defense cost-sharing agreement has not been concluded, and the gap in the agreement continues," adding, "We have begun providing 30-day advance notice to Korean workers regarding unpaid leave that may be implemented starting April 1."

The USFK explained that, in accordance with U.S. law, it provides a one-month advance notice regarding unpaid leave to 9,000 Korean workers. Although the U.S. Department of Defense announced a decision to support the salaries of Korean workers engaged in key USFK operations, the advance notice was given to all Korean workers.

General Robert Abrams, Commander of the USFK, said, "We highly appreciate our Korean staff and their contributions to the South Korea-U.S. alliance," adding, "They are our employees, colleagues, and team members, and absolutely essential to our mission." He continued, "We have explored all options within our authority to delay the potential unpaid leave caused by the absence of a defense cost-sharing agreement," and stated, "We will continue to seek alternatives both before and during the unpaid leave period."

Last year, on October 1, the USFK gave the Korean Workers' Union a six-month advance notice of potential unpaid leave. On the 29th of last month, a 60-day advance notice of potential unpaid leave was also given.

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