U.S. Reportedly Rejected 13% Increase Offer by South Korea in Support of USFK
As I have long said, I did not expect a cost sharing deal to get done before the April 15th Korean parliamentary elections and it appears that will be the case:
U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected South Korea’s offer to raise its contribution to shared defense costs by at least 13 percent, a news report said Friday.
Trump made the decision last week after consultations with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Reuters said, quoting unidentified current and former U.S. officials.
Esper made a phone call to South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo earlier this week to press Seoul to quickly agree to much higher contributions, it said.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link, but politically there was no way the ruling party would agree to a major increase in defense spending. By the Trump administration turning down the modest increase, the Moon administration can go into the election saying they tried, but the Trump administration is too greedy and that is why all you Korean employees that work on U.S. bases are laid off.
The next decision by the Moon administration will be if they want to wait until after the U.S. Presidential election to make a deal.
13% increase and offer to pay for the entire wages of all Korean workers on the US bases… is “little increase”. 🙄
America is not going to get a 400% increase, let alone a 500% increase. No matter if the Conservatives come back to power. Even the Conservatives are p#ssed that the US is asking that much at once. Liberals or Conservatives, doesn’t matter..as any party that agrees to Trump’s demands will be committing a political suicide, so it’s not going to happen.
Personally, I think the US military should leave, and South Korea should pay 100% for its own defense. If I were a Korean citizen, I’d be upset about the constant presence of foreign troops in my country, and in fact, that’s how young Koreans feel. Let’s indulge their feeling and leave. The Korean left thinks the North isn’t a threat, so why stay? It’s enough to promise that, should South Korea ever be attacked, we would immediately ride in to help the country. An alliance like that would be a lot cheaper for the US, and South Koreans would be happy to know that they no longer stood under the shadow of the US military. They would also be proud to know that they were now 100% responsible for their own country’s immediate defense.
While we’re at it, let’s talk about NATO…
Personally, I think the Trumpeans are not really interested in negotiating a fair deal. They’re just making it so difficult for the Korean side to come to an agreement by demanding something totally unreasonable (including demands that SK pay for some of the US strategic assets located outside of SK). The strategy of the Trumpeans is to make it impossible for the South Koreans to agree to the demands, then use that to emotionally appeal to the American rightwing nationalists by saying, “See? those ungrateful Koreans won’t pay for their own defense! We should get out now!”. Their real goal is a withdraw from South Korea, but the rest of American politics that don’t agree with the rightwingers are posing a problem. So this is their tactic, to show that “the Korean side is unreasonable and won’t play fair with America’. This is an attempt to point to persuade their internal political objections to the withdraw of US troops from SK, in the US.
I don’t know why the Trumpeans are even playing this game. If they really want to make this easy, just sign the peace treaty with North Korea, end the economic sanctions on North Korea, and wash their hands of South Korea. That’s the Vietnam War style (with the US signing that Paris agreement in 1973 with North Vietnam and leaving South Vietnam). In that regard, I agree with Kevin Kim. The US should leave, but in a way that I just described. South Korea is more than capable to defend against the decrepit North, while South Korea’s military hardware purchase is growing exponentially in terms of defense purchases and defense production of their own.
A betting man would put money on the Parasite Army.
Korean Man wants to learn how to create clear, concise, technical communication.
Should USFK rrmain or go? Are the ROK Armed Forces capable of defending South Korea without assistance from USFK and/or Japan? And how much should USFK charge for staying.
Please be specific and succinct. Ad hominems about current political figures are not relevant, unless Beijing requires it. Insert smile here.
>Should USFK rrmain or go?
That’s the decision of your own country. They should go if they can’t accept even a 13% increase, because there’s no way they are going to get a 500% increase. But I understand now, 13% was agreed upon by the US negotiators, but it was scuffed at the last minute by your Commander in Chief.
>Are the ROK Armed Forces capable of defending South Korea without assistance from USFK and/or Japan?
ROK armed forces is perfectly capable of defending South Korea without any assistance from USFK. You mention Japan, but you’re totally mistaking if you think Japan isn’t looking at the negotiation between ROK and USFK with great concern, while at the same time, facing Trump’s demand to Japan that they increase Japan’s payments by 400%. Your country is facing hostile feelings in Europe, and trying your best to pi@ss off South Korea, don’t think Japan isn’t also feeling the same against you.
> If it was me? I would not give the USFK a penny more than what they are getting. Especially by the fact that the negotiations last year already gave you a substantial increase, further proved by the fact that the USFK is holding $1.5 billion dollars in unused funds bank account, collecting interest. If the USFK can’t use that for anything, giving you more money doesn’t make any sense. The USFK still has not provided to the ROK side, the detailed breakdown of where they are coming up with the $5 billion spent on defending South Korea. Donald Trump was a businessman, surely he knows that if he wants the increased budget passed, you have to give the corporate board, where he’s going to spend the increase on, and why he needs the purchases. Just screaming an arbitrary number and demand that South Korea pay it, isn’t going to cut it. That’s business 101, if you didn’t know.
Of course, I realize what a great friend America has been to South Korea over the last several decades, and how much the US has helped the young Republic to stand on its own, there’s no denying that. But America and Americans have changed now. All they care about is America, as you and others here probably subscribe to. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s perfectly understandable. But no longer can you use the slogan that the US is staying in South Korea for just alturistic reasons to help out poor helpless South Korea to defend themselves. Furthermore it’s unacceptable to blackmail/guilt trip South Koreans into being ungrateful anti-Americans, just because they are not willing to give into unreasonable demands from a US president who clearly stated that it’s America First. We are not in 1950, nor 1960, nor 1970, nor 1980, nor 1990, and not even in 2000. This is 2020, with a completely changed America who no longer is interested in global leadership nor has the capability of providing global leadership. So South Koreans also have to readjust.
Now can we carry out a serious discussion without name callings and totally unjustifed accusations? We can do that, can we?
When I inprocessed in 1989 I was told the US would be out of Korea by 2000, as it would have a modern enough and large enough military to handle any threat from the North. That honestly seems to be the case. However I do know it is big business to keep building and repairing brand new buildings, keep thousands of Koreans employed whose only job seems to be to plug in cell phones they were told were unauthorized into secure computers to charge them, and employ lots of Filipino girls in bars looking for lonely GIs. But I hear commie moon pie say he’s going to cut the number of conscripts back. Why? Do they have too many? Or is kim fatty the third cutting his conscripts back too? The more I look at this situation the more I think we need to leave Korea, redeploy to Japan or Fort Lewis and let the bromance blossom. Or the more likely case, emperor xi and kim fatty the third start the third Korean War, and watch as commie moon pie gets handcuffed and sent to the gulag.
>GIs. But I hear commie moon pie say he’s going to cut the number of conscripts back. Why? Do they have too many? Or is kim fatty the third cutting his conscripts back too?
You asked, so I’ll answer. First off, South Korea’s birth rate has gone off the cliff. There are less than half of the young men who can be drafted in 2020, compared to 1990. Keeping 650,000 troops yearly is simply unsustainable when South Korea’s population is rapidly declining/aging, with far fewer young eligible men there used to be. The cut in manpower was compensated by Moon’s rapid increase of defense spending budget. Under the new defense modernizing plan, South Korea’s defense spending increased by 7% annually. The country is going to spend around $240 billion on defense from 2020 to 2024. And a sizable chunk of that money, $85 billion, is going to “arms improvement”. Having less manpower does not mean weaker military. On the contrary. South Korea’s military global firepower ranking is now at the 6th most powerful in the world – more powerful than any European country. And in about a couple of years, I would argue that South Korea’s ranking will climb even higher, as ROK’s military’s greatest expansion in its history is sparking ringing alarm in both China and North Korea.
>The more I look at this situation the more I think we need to leave Korea, redeploy to Japan
If you really think Japan will pay a 400% increase after the South Korean USFK negotiation collapses, then I have a bridge I can sell you. The truth is, America’s welcoming is wearing thin, globally, especially the way Trump has insulted all your allies. It’s too bad really. The US had the chance to counter China by working with the other countries who were also fed up with China. But you guys decided to go it alone.
>Redeploy to Japan or Fort Lewis
Yes, you can relocate to Fort Lewis. But why would those troops be needed when America’s global engagement is winding down? It doesn’t make financial sense, other than to disband those unneeded troops.
The simplest explanation is that Trump wants Korea to pay the full cost of defending Korea. The cost of defending Korea is more than just the troops deployed in the country. In the event of the war, the US will have to send large numbers of additional forces and strategic assets. If the Koreans expect and need these reinforcements to help them in a time of war, then we should include the reinforcements when calculating the cost of the alliance. But hey, free-riders gonna free-ride, and America-haters like the Korean left will exploit the issue to try to break the alliance.
Honestly, if the ROK continues to support leftists like Moon Jae In, then the country is undeserving of the US paying any portion of Korea’s defense, let alone risking a nuclear attack on American cities. Have fun being China’s bitch.
This 13% increase news story has to be a media leak from Moon Jae In’s camp.
Korea should kick America out and defend itself.
Why keep throwing money to someone else for defense when Korean can develop and build its own stealth air force, a couple of carrier groups, a fleet of satellites, and so much more.
That shouldn’t take more than a few decades and several trillion dollars. And military self-sufficiency is working out well for North Korea.
Or maybe it is better to pay fair market value for top of the line defense and let America deal with it.
Hard to know without a calculator.
so what is really the fair market value?
What is the fair market value?
Good question.
I guess make a list of all the services provided along with all the second order benefits. Calculate what it would cost to do that yourself.
Ouch. That number is too high.
How about America calculates all the costs for providing all the direct services and a fair fraction of all other services, benefits, R&D… and countries pay that.
In the end, it doesn’t have to make a profit… but there should be ZERO cost to the American taxpayer.
The benefit for doing it at cost is maintaining the world’s best military at less than full price to the taxpayer… encouraging an even better military providing even more value to those under its shield.
The American shutdown is a wonderful thing (he said living overseas with no bills and a secure income).
It will burn all the luxury values out of the snowflake generation. When food, shelter, and a personal future become insecure, yapping about pronoun choice, supporting illegal aliens, and distant climate possibilities no longer seem important… especially at voting time.
People need to question all the money spent subsidizing the world.
Good job, CH.
Korean Man still needs to work on his/her communication skills. Volume value. Too much makes one look like a troll.
CH, agreed!
$1 billion, fair market value, it is! Excellent job breaking it all down in detail!
That would include one flyover per year.
Korea Man… relax, I am not your enemy. Work with me.
Your “one billion” is arbitrary.
There is a real answer.
At our last base, the official amount of money the base made the local economy was around 500 million a year. But we were good friends with the business leaders and they told us the number was well over a billion.
That was one base.
@ Korean Man, thank you for your comments. I think you have valid point with the decreasing population, it is a truth for all economically successful countries that as the wealth of the average person grows the reproduction rate drops. Moving to Japan would be the least costly and best move strategically, as the US Forces would still be in Asia as a force to deploy if needed. Most of the difficulties in Japan are on Okinawa and focused on the Marine Corps. If there is not logistical room for the USFK then they would need to come back within US borders. As far leaving the Second Infantry Division intact, I believe it will be needed, we have mutual aid pact with several Asian nations, 2 full divisions sitting on the West Coast is assurance to our Asian allies that our troops are ready to deploy if they are ever needed.
South Korean military couldn’t organize an ice cream social let alone defend South Korea. South Korean government is at least aware of this, that is put off OPCON transfer since 2012.
>South Korean military couldn’t organize an ice cream social let alone defend South Korea. South Korean government is at least aware of this, that is put off OPCON transfer since 2012.
That’s because they’re trying to let South Korean generals also command the USFK forces, which the US will never accept. The only way for the South Korean military to take full control is to have the US completely withdraw their troops from South Korea.
>Moving to Japan would be the least costly and best move strategically
You already have troops there, but your commander in chief is demanding Japan pay 400% increase in payments to his coffers. If South Korea refuses to pay the 500% increase and the US withdraws from Korea, I don’t see how Japan will accept Trump’s demands. Trump sees both Korea and Japan as parasites that’s leeching off of US taxpayers. But Japan, like South Korea, will find themselves politically impossible to accept US financial bill collecting bullying tactics without committing political suicide. Remember, Trump’s ultimate goal is to withdraw the US troops in Europe, Korea, as well as Japan. He’s not really interested in receiving $5 billion when he thinks he can save $500 billion by bringing all his troops home from all over the world.
>As far leaving the Second Infantry Division intact, I believe it will be needed, we have mutual aid pact with several Asian nations, 2 full divisions sitting on the West Coast is assurance to our Asian allies that our troops are ready to deploy if they are ever needed.
I don’t see how America will get involved with any of the Asian allies when none of the Asian allies are going to be paying the US a single dime, and all the US troops stationed in Asia are withdrawn. Other than South Korea and Japan, which other Asian countries are paying you currently? I predict the US will be in the same isolationist position as she found herself after 1918. Aren’t Americans tired of being the world’s cop? Aren’t they wanting all their troops back home? I read that constantly and that must be a substantial number of American opinions.
But I just find it strange that the US wants to counter China by p*ssing off all its friends, instead of rallying them against China. Instead, Europeans, South Koreans, Japanese, all find themselves caught in between the US and China, both difficult countries to deal with.
You’d think someone so adept at reading minds could learn to cut to the chase instead of these long cut and paste jobs; but maybe Beijing does pay by the word, eh wot?
A great work from home job during the CCP VIRUS