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South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (right) speaks with members of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee regarding the current status of South Korea-US defense cost-sharing negotiations. (Yonhap News)
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Washington also demands period of validity to be reduced from 5 years to 1 year
During a closed-door meeting with lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Jan. 21, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha explained the current status of South Korea’s negotiations with the US about their defense cost-sharing agreement. “There’s a major difference of opinion between South Korea and the US in regard to Korea’s share of the cost. Since the cost-sharing agreement reached in the negotiations has to be ratified by the National Assembly and since it’s a topic of major interest for the public, I listened to lawmakers’ opinions and had a candid discussion with them,” Kang told reporters. During several rounds of the cost-sharing negotiations that were held last year, South Korea and US negotiators had reached a general agreement about the various controversial points and had produced a final draft, but the negotiations were reportedly brought to an impasse when US President Donald Trump abruptly asked South Korea to drastically increase its share of the cost. “The US is asking for US$1.2 billion (1.35 trillion won), which appears to reflect Trump’s wishes,” said one lawmaker who attended the meeting on Monday. Currently, South Korea is contributing 960.2 billion won (US$849.4 million) per year. The US also wants the agreement’s period of validity to be reduced from five years to one year. The South Korean government is asking for its defense contribution to be kept under 1 trillion won (US$884.6 million) and for the negotiations to be held on a five-year basis, in keeping with the current practice. National Assembly adopts resolution for objective assessment of alliance contribution On Monday, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee adopted a resolution addressed to the South Korean and US government. “The current gap in funding resulting from the negotiations’ failure to reach a breakthrough before the end of the year must not be allowed to affect the basis of the South Korea-US alliance, which has contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. As strong allies, the governments of South Korea and the US need to quickly conclude an agreement that is fair, reasonable and acceptable to the Korean public and the National Assembly, based on an objective and adequate assessment of Korea’s alliance contributions and in a spirit of mutual respect and trust,” the committee emphasized in the resolution. “We expect that this resolution will get the 11th round of the negotiations rolling again,” said committee chair Rep. Kang Seok-ho in a conversation with the Hankyoreh. On Monday morning, Kang Kyung-wha spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for around 30 minutes, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. During their phone call, Kang and Pompeo agreed to make an effort in the defense cost-sharing negotiations to quickly reach an agreement that will be reasonable and mutually acceptable in a spirit of understanding and mutual respect as allies. By Kim Mi-na and Park Min-hee, staff reporters Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
