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| Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, right, and his U.S. counterpart Mark Esper pose during the latter's visit to the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Nov. 15, 2019. / Joint press corps |
By Kang Seung-woo
The government is facing intensifying pressure from Washington to accept its demand that Korea pay a lot more than it currently does to host the United States Forces Korea (USFK), with the issue likely to be raised in next week's meeting between their defense ministers.
The Special Measures Agreement (SMA), which determines the defense cost-sharing between the two allies for the USFK, expired at the end of last year, but little progress has been made on how much Seoul should pay in 2020 despite six rounds of negotiations since late last year.
The biggest sticking point in the negotiations is U.S. President Donald Trump who has said he wants Korea to pay nearly $5 billion (5.98 trillion won) annually ― a fivefold increase from the amount paid last year. Korea has insisted that the negotiations should proceed within the existing SMA framework to come up with a fair and equitable amount.
The latest push from Washington came Wednesday, after the Defense Department hinted that the cost-sharing agreement might be high on the agenda, if not the highest, in the upcoming Feb. 24 meeting between Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his U.S. counterpart Mark Esper.
"We've got to work through the agreement for funding of forces, so that will obviously be a topic we will discuss," Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said in a press briefing. "He's looking forward to this meeting next week."
When asked about the holding of joint military exercises this spring, Hoffman said he had nothing to say on the matter, which some observers say indicates the U.S. is prioritizing the cost-sharing issue in the upcoming meeting above all other matters.
Washington pressured Seoul further during the press briefing by giving details on a plan to potentially furlough 9,000 Korean workers on USFK bases.
"So if needed, we're going to have to prioritize what services those workers provide, and we're going to have to prioritize life, health and safety," Rear Adm. William Byrne Jr., vice director of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.
"There will certainly be an impact to both the service members and their families."
Byrne's remarks went further than a previous statement that said if a deal was not reached, Korean staff at the bases would be furloughed starting April 1. The USFK sent a 60-day notification of the potential furlough last month in accordance with U.S. law, and Commander Gen. Robert Abrams reiterated this during a meeting with the head of the USFK's Korean staff Tuesday.
Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics at Handong Global University, said the U.S. administration's push for more financial contributions will likely continue.
"According to a government official, U.S. representatives have yet to report the outcome from the previous six rounds of SMA negotiations to U.S. President Donald Trump, as the Korean government's counteroffer does not seem to meet the U.S. demand. In that respect, they are expected to make efforts to increase Korea's share down to the wire before reporting an acceptable amount to Trump," he said.
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