ROK Defense Ministry Says They Will Negotiate USFK Cost Sharing “At a Reasonable Standard”
The Korean government better be ready to pay more for USFK cost sharing because this is something that I suspect President Trump will not waver on:
The Korean Ministry of National Defense said on Monday it is working toward a “reasonable” solution to the issue of maintaining U.S. troops here, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Korea should pay a larger portion of the cost.
Moon Sang-gyun, the Korean Defense Ministry spokesman, said in a briefing Monday, “The U.S. Forces Korea’s contributions to defense on the Korean Peninsula, our financial capability, the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and also enabling conditions for stability in the stationing of USFK will all be comprehensively taken into consideration to enable negotiations to set burden-sharing at a reasonable standard.”
Trump said during the joint press briefing with President Moon Jae-in Friday in Washington after their summit, “We are working together to ensure fair burden-sharing in support of the U.S. military presence in South Korea.” He upped pressure on Seoul ahead of negotiations later this year to decide a defense cost-sharing plan.
“Burden-sharing is a very important factor,” Trump also said at the joint conference, which is “becoming more and more prevalent, certainly in this administration.”
This marks the first time Trump has publicly raised the issue of Korea paying more for the stationing of U.S. troops since he took office in January, amid concern in Seoul over upcoming cost-sharing negotiations.
During his presidential campaign, Trump took an “America First” stance and has urged for U.S. allies to pay their fair share of the cost in defense. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read more at the link.
President Trump!
Reasonable standard, WTF!@@##$#Are they nuts, soldiers does not have a reasonable standard to die. Why in the hell Korean government is grand-standing? with that kind of rhetoric is beyond me. I would say this just theatrics, meant for domestic consumption. Behind close door “yes sir! Mr. Trump.” Without the U.S government the South Korean government would have failed in 1950.
South Korea as we’ve know it TODAY! owe the American’s people for their very existence which they enjoy today. I’ think out of respect to the America and korean people, should whole a people to people talk from the two each capital respectfully. Americans people don’t really know how much power they whole collectively, that could be use to turn the tide on any government undertaking.Like putting their foot down and say bring our military out Korea, because they are always complaining about us.
In a open public forum, the question should be ask by the panel “Do you korean people want American military in your country for protection. I think the Korean as a country want their cake and eat to; by protesting on anything they can find fault with. may god bless America at HUMMING SPEED. And protect us from both forieng, domestic (Jared Kushner).