'USFK withdrawal wasn't an issue'

Jeong Eun-bo, South Korea's chief negotiator for the defense cost-sharing negotiations with the United States, arrives at the State Department in Washington D.C., Wednesday (KST). Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

South Korea's chief negotiator for the defense cost-sharing issue with the United States dismissed speculations of a possible withdrawal of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) from South Korea.

“The possible USFK withdrawal from South Korea wasn't an issue,” South Korean official Jeong Eun-bo told reporters after closing the fourth round of defense cost negotiations with his U.S counterpart at the State Department, Washington D.C., Wednesday morning (KST).

Jeong added he and his U.S. counterpart didn't delve into the specifics of recent remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump in London regarding the fate of the USFK. About 28,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed in South Korea.

“The U.S. president stressed the necessity of a substantial increase of South Korea's contribution for the upkeep of USFK military in South Korea many times; therefore, I don't think Trump's recent remarks would have been interpreted as Washington's changing its position on the matter,” Jeong told reporters. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul confirmed his remarks, Wednesday.

According to the official, discussion is underway as planned. “But both Seoul and Washington agreed to keep the specifics of the negotiations undisclosed,” Jeong said.

In London, Trump, who attended an event to mark the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said it's up for debate whether maintaining the USFK is in Washington's national security interest. “It can be debated and I can go either way and make arguments both ways,” Trump told reporters.

Not surprisingly, the U.S. president asked South Korea to make fairer financial contributions and claimed he was able to extract an additional $500 million from Seoul last year for U.S. “protection,” adding Washington wants additional commitments.

The third round of defense cost-sharing negotiations in Seoul were broken off as there was a large disparity between the proposals. At that time, the South's chief negotiator said there was a “substantial difference” between Washington's overall proposal and the basic principles that South Korea would pursue.” He added South Korea isn't ready to go with Trump's apparent “cost-benefit analysis” regarding the cost-sharing deal.

The South Korean public and lawmakers were upset over the U.S.' “$5 billion bill,” saying Washington hasn't considered the historical legacy of the United States in South Korea. National Assembly approval is requested if South Korea pays more for the costs. Also, a recent study from government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification showed that 96 percent of South Koreans didn't support Washington's pressure.

South Korea agreed to pay about $870 million this year. This year's cost-sharing agreement will end Dec. 31. Since 1991, the agreements have been renewed and updated every five years. But the current deal covers “only one year.”

South Korea has been asked to pay for the deployment of the U.S.'s “strategic military assets” flying over the Korean Peninsula from U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam for military exercises and to actively join the Washington-initiated Indo-Pacific Strategy for regional stability.