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| A civic group protests at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Nov. 13, against Washington's call for South Korea to pay more for the stationing of U.S. troops here. / Korea Times file |
By Kim Bo-eun
Differences remain large between South Korea and the U.S. on how much the former will pay to keep 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here.
The two sides met in Seoul last week for what was hoped would be a final round of talks for the 10th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on the cost sharing for keeping the USFK here, but failed to reach an agreement.
They still remain apart on the total amount that South Korea should pay, the growth rate and the expiration date of the new deal. A report by the Wall Street Journal stated that U.S. President Donald Trump called for South Korea to take 150 percent of the amount it is paying at present. Under the current agreement, Seoul paid a total of 960 billion won ($846 million) this year.
South Korea is cited to pay about half the costs of keeping the USFK here, but civic groups claim it is paying over 70 percent, when taking into account the sites it provides for military bases.
Officials will likely meet early next year to resume discussions.
A foreign ministry official told reporters last week it was difficult for another round of talks to be held this year.
Because the ninth agreement expires at the end of the year, the countries face a several month gap between the ninth and 10th agreements.
This is not the first time, however, that the two sides failed to reach an agreement within the required timeframe.
The official said the government will likely shoulder costs according to the ninth agreement for the period between the ninth and 10th agreements. Reserve funds would be used to pay for the outstanding months, he said.
Seoul and Washington had aimed to reach a new deal by early October, so that the agreement would undergo necessary domestic procedures such as receiving approval from the National Assembly in order for the deal to go into effect starting next year.
They began talks in March, and held a total of 10 rounds of talks, but failed to narrow their differences.
Meanwhile, a union of Korean employees working at the USFK was notified they would be sent on unpaid leave from April 15, 2019, if the SMA was not settled in a "timely manner."
A total of 8,700 employees will be subject to the measure.
This was seen by some as a means to pressure South Korea to make concessions in the ongoing talks.
The unpaid leave would go against South Korean labor laws, as regulations state employers should pay workers 70 percent of their wages if they are to be sent on leave.
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