Following US-ROK Foreign Ministers, Directors-General Also Discuss Defense Costs... US Emphasizes "Fair and Balanced Comprehensive Agreement"

Appears to Be an Agreement Reached at U.S. Request... Senior Officials Hold Successive Phone Consultations Over Practical Negotiation Proposal

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 6th (local time), Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-du and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper held a phone call to discuss the 11th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations on defense cost-sharing, whose settlement timing has again become uncertain. During the call, Secretary Esper reiterated the U.S. position of "fair defense cost-sharing," highlighting once more the differences in perspectives between South Korea and the U.S.

Secretary Esper stated on Twitter that day, "I appreciate Minister Jeong taking my call to discuss the importance of fair defense cost-sharing as an extension of our alliance," adding, "It is extremely important to promptly sign a fair and balanced comprehensive agreement." He also included a hashtag spelling out the symbolic phrase of the Korea-U.S. alliance, 'Let's go together,' phonetically in the alphabet.

This call is presumed to have been made at the request of the U.S. side following last week's phone call between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. As Secretary Esper mentioned on Twitter, the purpose appears to be to pressure once again for the "prompt conclusion of a fair and comprehensive agreement," which is the U.S. position.

The defense cost-sharing negotiations have been delayed without crossing the final settlement threshold. On the 31st of last month, Jeong Eun-bo, the chief negotiator for the Korea-U.S. defense cost-sharing talks, stated that the negotiations were in the final coordination stage, and on the 1st, a senior government official raised expectations by mentioning the possibility of a final agreement. However, no announcement of an agreement has been made yet. Even Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stepped in for last-minute consultations, but no conclusion was reached.

On the U.S. side, remarks lowering expectations for a final negotiation continue. Clark Cooper, U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, publicly stated, "The Korea-U.S. defense cost-sharing negotiations are by no means over," adding that "if an agreement is reached, it must be mutually beneficial and fair."

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