Recall that the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are very intensive consultations in the framework of the Agreement on special measures (Special Measures Agreement, or SMA), where the need to agree on how much Seoul should pay for the stay of the American contingent to 28.5 thousand people on the territory of the Korean Peninsula. Last year Kazakhstan paid a little less than one billion dollars, but now the US require dramatically increase the amount. The money will be spent to pay for the costs of the stay of US troops. Washington, which covers part of the cost of the contingent, believes that Seoul can and should increase their contributions. The South Koreans though, and I agree to do it in principle, but they are not satisfied with the amount requested by the United States.
“Yes, we offered $ 1.3 billion… This is an extremely rational price… That’s our final offer”, – said the Agency Yonhap, citing an unnamed senior US government close associates of Donald trump. The official added: “We are already very greatly reduced our request… And that made the Korean government? Nothing!”
the Source explained that initially, the US even demanded that South Korea five billion dollars per year and eventually was reduced to 1.3 billion, but Seoul offers not the amount that can satisfy Washington.
Earlier it was reported that US-ROK almost agreed to increase the share of the South Korean contribution by 13 percent compared to the year 2019, but in the end, the President of the United States Donald trump refused to approve the agreement, saying it is too little.
According to the South Korean side, they already pay a lot, in addition, Seoul buys a lot of American weapons and supports various including U.S. military operations in the world that should also be taken into account when calculating the actual contribution of South Korea. The Koreans agreed to increase spending, but not as much as the Americans want it.
officials in South Korea still did not react to these statements, but indirectly confirmed that the amount of $ 1.3 billion too high. “I can’t say anything confirm about the alleged “last sentence” of the US 1.3 billion, but if so, it is still the level that we make can not” – said the Agency a source in the diplomatic service of the RK. The press Secretary of RK MFA said that “both sides need to show flexibility and to agree on acceptable to both parties”.
Experts believe that the officials did everything they could, reaching the leaders in the negotiations. Now all we have to decide the presidents of the United States and the Republic of Korea in person, otherwise it will be impossible to negotiate. Recently in Seoul, there were hopes that the South Korean active assistance to the United States in the fight against coronavirus “will be reckoned”, and the Americans show compliance, but as you can see, the US decided that this diverse problems.
