Reference News, July 9 report. According to Yonhap News, on July 9, the South Korean government responded to U.S. President Trump's remarks urging South Korea to increase its defense cost sharing amount, stating that it will continue to abide by the existing Republic of Korea-U.S. Defense Cost Sharing Agreement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea stated on the 9th that the Special Agreement on the Defense Cost Sharing has contributed to ensuring a stable deployment environment for U.S. troops in South Korea and enhancing the South Korea-U.S. joint defense posture. The South Korean government will continue to abide by and effectively implement the twelfth "South Korea-U.S. Defense Cost Sharing Agreement." Regarding statements made by foreign leaders, the government should not respond or comment on each one individually. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement is interpreted as indicating that regardless of the direction of Trump's external remarks, South Korea will remain committed to upholding the agreements reached between the two governments.
The report said that previously, Trump had stated at a White House cabinet meeting that the defense costs borne by South Korea were too low, and exaggerated the actual number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. He also said that during the negotiations for the eleventh "Defense Cost Sharing Agreement," he had required South Korea to bear $10 billion in military expenses. The South Korean government's above-mentioned statement effectively confirmed that South Korea will bear the military expenses according to the twelfth "Defense Cost Sharing Agreement" next year, and the amount will not change.
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