The Day 600,000 Korean Diagnostic Kits Departed for the U.S... U.S. Department of Defense Pressures for Increased Defense Spending

by Lim Chulyoung

Published 15 Apr.2020 13:45(KST)

Updated 15 Apr.2020 16:40(KST)

In the early morning of the 15th, diagnostic kits produced by two domestic companies were loaded onto a cargo plane for transport
Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, "South Korea is a wealthy country, should pay more defense costs"

On the 15th, Korean-type COVID-19 diagnostic kits are being loaded for export to the United States at the Incheon Airport Cargo Terminal. (Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] "The wealthy country Korea can and should pay more (for defense costs) to support our mutual defense and their specific defense."

Following the phone call between the South Korean and U.S. leaders on the 24th of last month, on the 15th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper pressured the Korean government by stating in a briefing (local time on the 14th) that Korea is a wealthy country and should pay more defense costs, in the context of the Korea-U.S. alliance and Korea sending 600,000 Korean-made diagnostic kits to the U.S. He conveyed the official position of the Department of Defense while saying he would hand over the negotiations to the State Department, which is leading the talks.

Secretary Esper's remarks reiterate the position he expressed during a phone call with South Korean Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo on the 6th. On the 6th, Secretary Esper tweeted, "I appreciate Minister Jeong taking my call today to discuss the importance of a fair defense cost-sharing across the alliance," adding, "It is very important to sign a fair and balanced comprehensive agreement as soon as possible."

With President Trump rejecting the '13% increase in defense costs' proposal derived by Korea-U.S. working-level officials, negotiations for the 11th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing between Korea and the U.S. have regressed into an unpredictable situation. On the 31st of last month, it was reported that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary Esper visited the White House with a tentative agreement, but it failed to clear the final hurdle. Some pessimistic views suggest that the deadlock may continue until the U.S. presidential election in November. Consequently, the unpaid leave of Korean workers employed by the U.S. Forces Korea, which the U.S. side enforced starting from the 1st, is also likely to be prolonged.

Earlier, senior U.S. officials including Donald Trump and Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, expressed gratitude for the support of Korean-made diagnostic kits. Among the three domestic companies that received prior approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led by the White House, diagnostic kits produced by two companies were loaded onto a cargo plane and departed for the U.S. early that day. Diagnostic kits produced by one company are supplied through U.S. distribution channels. The initial supply volume from domestic companies to the U.S. was confirmed to be a total of 750,000 tests.

A senior official of the Trump administration said, "We thank our Korean partners for supporting Americans in securing COVID-19 tests," and Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, tweeted, "COVID-19 diagnostic kits have been loaded at Incheon International Airport and are ready for transport to the U.S. We thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for helping to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance and enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase diagnostic kits."

The Day 600,000 Korean Diagnostic Kits Departed for the U.S... U.S. Department of Defense Pressures for Increased Defense Spending

In the early morning of the 15th, diagnostic kits produced by two domestic companies were loaded onto a cargo plane for transportMark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, "South Korea is a wealthy country, should pay more defense costs"

In the early morning of the 15th, diagnostic kits produced by two domestic companies were loaded onto a cargo plane for transport
Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, "South Korea is a wealthy country, should pay more defense costs"