Clinton, Trump apart on S. Korea

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton after their first televised debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Monday. In a snap CNN poll, 62 percent judged that Clinton had won the debate against 27 percent for Trump. / AP-Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump showed differing views on the alliance with South Korea during their first presidential debate in New York, Monday.

Republican nominee Trump renewed his argument about South Korea and other allies’ free-riding on the U.S. defense budget, while Democratic nominee Clinton reassured the U.S. commitment in defending its allies.

“We defend Japan. We defend Germany. We defend South Korea, we defend Saudi Arabia. We defend countries. They do not pay us what they should be paying us, because we are providing a tremendous service and we’re losing a fortune,” Trump said.

“All I said is that it is very possible that if they don’t pay us, because this isn’t 40 years ago… they may have to defend themselves or they have to help us out.”

In response, Clinton used the debate to ease growing concerns among allies about its commitment to mutual defense agreements.

“Words matter when you run for president. And they really matter when you are president. And I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them. It is essential that America’s word be good,” she said.

“I intend to be a leader of our country that people can count on both here at home and around the world to make decisions that will further peace and prosperity and also stand up to bullies.”

Trump, a billionaire-turned-politician, has openly expressed his opinion that South Korea gives nothing in return for the presence of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).

However, last year, South Korea paid 932 billion won ($848 million) for the 28,500 U.S. troops here, which the government says was about 50 percent of the total cost estimated to be around 2 trillion won.

The two candidates also clashed over the current nuclear weapons policy.

“You look at North Korea, we’re doing nothing there. China should solve that problem for us. China should go into North Korea, China is totally powerful as it relates to North Korea,” Trump said, adding that nuclear weapons are the greatest threat.

Trump also said the U.S. government should have used its nuclear deal with Iran to press Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear program.

“Iran is one of their biggest trading partners. Iran has power over North Korea. And when they made that horrible deal with Iran, they ought to have included the fact that they do something with respect to North Korea,” he said.

Critics say the Obama administration’s policy of “strategic patience” for North Korea, a policy that means no engagement with the reclusive state, has failed as Pyongyang’s nuclear program has shown steady progress, including two nuclear tests this year.

On the contrary, Clinton found fault with Trump for his past remarks hinting at allowing nuclear armament of South Korea and Japan for self-defense, saying his cavalier attitude about nuclear proliferation is “deeply troubling.”

“He has said repeatedly that he didn’t care if other countries got nuclear weapons, Japan, South Korea, even Saudi Arabia. It has been the policy of the United States, Democrats and Republicans, to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He even said, well, if there was nuclear war in East Asia, that’s fine,” she said.