Seoul: South Korea and the United States have additional defense costs to address beyond the existing cost-sharing arrangement for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. This emerged as a significant challenge for the alliance, as articulated by the acting U.S. ambassador to Seoul during a seminar on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Joseph Yun, the U.S. charge d'affaires ad interim, underscored the need to discuss various defense-related costs beyond the bilateral agreement that determines Seoul's financial responsibilities for maintaining American troops. Yun indicated that the current agreement, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), addresses only a portion of the overall defense cost sharing between the two allies.
"There are three areas of costs for the SMA -- construction, labor, and utility -- and then there are other costs as well, so we need to discuss how to share those," Yun stated at a seminar hosted by the Korea Press Foundation. He further questioned, "Is South Korea's defense spending enough?"
The SMA pertains to Seoul's contribution to the expenses of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) based in the country. Under the latest agreement, effective through 2030, South Korea will increase its payment to 1.52 trillion won (approximately US$1.1 billion) next year, marking an 8.3 percent rise from 2025.
Yun's comments suggest a potential deviation from South Korea's interpretation of the SMA, which has traditionally been limited to the three specific categories. This development follows U.S. President Donald Trump's call for affluent allies to assume a larger share of their defense expenses, reducing reliance on U.S. protection.
Yun's remarks align with the Pentagon's recent directive for European allies to boost their defense spending to 5 percent of their GDP, a move that also pertains to Asian allies. With China as a primary strategic focus for Washington, discussions may also encompass adjustments to the U.S. regional posture, including military assets, defense capabilities, and the presence of U.S. forces in Korea and Japan.
Regarding tariff negotiations, Yun expressed hope for a "framework" agreement that would encompass detailed sector-specific deals. He emphasized the importance of a comprehensive agreement, while acknowledging that finalizing all details may require time.
When questioned about resuming dialogue between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Yun described it as "unfinished business" for Trump. However, he noted the uncertainty of North Korea's willingness to reengage with the U.S. or South Korea.
Yun expressed optimism for an upcoming summit between Trump and President Lee Jae Myung, noting the missed opportunity at the recent Group of Seven summit in Canada. He anticipated that a substantive bilateral meeting would occur shortly, despite previous scheduling conflicts.