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Experts Question Washington's Timing on Seoul's Share of Defense Cost

Christy Lee

   WASHINGTON - Washington's call for a sharp increase in Seoul's share of
   its defense costs is an untimely demand that could put the readiness of
   the combined U.S. and South Korean forces at risk at a time when North
   Korea is escalating threats, said experts.

   "This is the worst time to be having this debate between the U.S. and
   South Korea, given what North Korea has done," said Lawrence Korb,
   former assistant secretary of defense during the Reagan administration
   andcurrentlya senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

   Washington and Seoul are engaged in a dispute over the [1]cost-sharing
   deal set to expire at the end of the year. The fourth round of
   negotiations on the deal broke down last week in Washington.

   Washington has been asking Seoul to pay $5 billion next year for
   keeping about 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea. Seoul
   currently pays $900 million.

   As the differences over the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) remain
   unsettled and the expiration of the current deal draws closer, North
   Korea has been ramping up pressure on the Korean Peninsula.

References

   1. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/south-korea-us-fail-strike-defense-cost-sharing-deal

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