Seoul to use all 'cards available' to pay less for USFK

The Republic of Korea Navy destroyer Kang Gam Chan departs a port at the ROK Navy Operational Command in Busan, Aug. 13. Courtesy of ROK Navy

Cheong Wa Dae considering 'phased' participation in Hormuz mission

By Jung Da-min

Cheong Wa Dae is considering using all the leverage it can in defense cost-sharing talks, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), with the United States to reduce the amount South Korea pays for the upkeep of the United States Forces Korea (USFK). This will include expanding the “definition” of the contribution to include defense costs not directly linked to the upkeep of the 28,500 USFK troops and support staff.

In a rare move, the National Security Council (NSC) is reviewing possible participation in the U.S.-led naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidential office said in a statement. The NSC is reviewing “phased” participation such as the sending of a liaison officer or patrol boat before possibly redeploying the Republic of Korea Navy's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit from its missions in the Gulf of Aden, it added.

“The Ministry of National Defense has long been reviewing possible scenarios for participation in the Hormuz missions,” an official told reporters Friday. “Various possible scenarios were discussed during yesterday's NSC meeting. The ministry will initiate preparatory work once the specifics of South Korea's participation are decided,” the official said.

With participation in the Hormuz mission, Cheong Wa Dae also plans to link South Korea's payment for the cleanup of contaminated former USFK bases as another “bargaining chip” to reduce the increase in Seoul's contribution to defense cost-sharing. In addition, a senior ruling party lawmaker told The Korea Times that the government has recently offered a revised proposal to purchase up to $1 billion worth of U.S. weapons by the end of next year.

Regarding these moves, experts supported the idea of expanding the concept of South Korea's contribution in the defense cost-sharing. South Korea has also been asked to play a more active role in the U.S.-initiated Indo-Pacific Strategy.

“The U.S. is expanding the concept of the defense-cost sharing with its allies, by asking them to not only increase their contribution in terms of sharing the expenses but also to expand their role in keeping regional security,” said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. “It is important for the government to reduce the gap between South Korea and the U.S. over how much we should pay, and so pointing to our contributions in other areas such as the mission in the Strait of Hormuz or the cleaning up of the contaminated former USFK installations would be a good strategy.”

However, the government and President Moon Jae-in should also consider the internal divisions between U.S. President Donald Trump and working-level officials at the U.S. State Department and Department of Defense, Kim Jun-seok, a politics professor at Dongguk University, noted.

Kim said while Trump is expanding the scope of the defense cost-sharing negotiations and likely to welcome South Korea's “extra” efforts to contribute more for the alliance, U.S. working-level officials would not want such “irrelevant” issues to undermine the “spirit of alliance.” He said the U.S. officials think South Korea is already paying enough, especially considering the invisible strategic assets the U.S. gets through the regional alliance.

“The government cannot meet both of the expectations of Trump and U.S. working-level officials at the same time, when Trump wants to include other issues in the cost-sharing negotiations while the officials want to have talks over traditional values of the alliance,” Kim said. “To deal with the issue, it would be ideal for President Moon to make a deal directly with Trump.”

South Korea and the U.S. are reportedly set to hold the fourth round of the 11th SMA next week.