The US and South Korea have reached an agreement “in principle” on the new level of cost-sharing between the two sides on US military forces deployed in the Korean Peninsula. This ends months of roadblocks in talks.
Under the past deal, South Korea was paying $848 million annually, about
half the overall cost of the deployment. When the deal expired South
Korea expressed openness to a slight increase in keeping with the rate
of inflation. Trump, however, demanded a minimum 50% increase over the old deal.
Exact terms have not been published, but seem closer to what South Korea
was offering in the first place, with estimates saying it would remain
less than $1 billion annually, far less than the $1.25 billion Trump
sought.
With the old deal expiring at the end of December, there was no current
deal in place, and many in South Korea were expecting Trump to threaten a
pullout, though Trump has maintained that he never has.
US, South Korea Reach Agreement ‘In Principle’ on Cost-Sharing for US Troops
Deal falls far short of Trump's previous demands
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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