S. Korea had ‘constructive’ talks with US for defence cost sharing: Official

Seoul:  South Korea had “constructive” talks with the United States this week to advance the negotiations for determining Seoul’s share of the cost for the upkeep of American troops here, a Seoul official said Friday.

The allies wrapped up the three-day defence cost-sharing talks in Seoul, amid growing speculation that the two sides might be nearing an end to renew the multi-year deal for stationing 28,500-strong US soldiers in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

“South Korea and the United States held constructive discussions aimed at narrowing their differences on key issues of mutual interest,” a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Since the negotiations were launched in April, eight rounds of talks have taken place, giving rise to the possibility that the two sides may soon strike a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA).

CNN recently reported that Seoul and Washington could reach a new deal before the end of this year, citing incumbent and former US officials.

Following the seventh round of the talks in August, Linda Specht, the US chief negotiator, said that the two countries had made “good progress” toward an agreement.

The latest negotiations are taking place amid speculation that South Korea is seeking an early deal to avoid tough bargaining in case former US President Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Under Trump’s presidency, Washington demanded more than a fivefold increase in Seoul’s payment to $5 billion.

South Korea has called for an agreement that will set its share at “a reasonable level,” and the US has stressed the goal of reaching “a mutually acceptable” deal.

The current six-year SMA committed South Korea to paying $1.03 billion for 2021, a 13.9 per cent increase from 2019, and increasing the payment every year for the subsequent four years in line with the rise in Seoul’s defence spending.

Under the SMA, Seoul has since 1991 partially shared the cost for Korean USFK workers; the construction of military installations such as barracks, as well as training, educational, operational and communications facilities; and other logistical support.

–IANS