hankyoreh

James DeHart, the US’ chief negotiator in its defense cost-sharing talks with South Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport on Nov. 5.

The US is ramping up an all-out pressure campaign to greatly increase South Korea’s financial contributions to US Forces Korea. According to reports, the US is demanding South Korea contributes US$4.7 billion. That’s almost five times the US$1.038 billion share for this year. The South Korean government needs to take a firm stand against this unreasonable demand from the US.

Washington’s pressure tactics are systematic and come from all directions. On Nov. 6, David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, reportedly met with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha and Blue House National Security Office Second Deputy Chief Kim Hyun-chong to communicate the US position on defense cost-sharing. Arriving on the same day as Stilwell was James DeHart, the US’ senior representative to the defense cost-sharing negotiations, who has also met with South Korean government officials and businessmen to push for an increase in South Korea’s share.

It’s not clear exactly how much of an increase DeHart has been proposing. But certain accounts suggest it is around US$5 billion, the same amount Washington previously quoted. According to sources, DeHart has not even provided a detailed breakdown for this astronomical amount. It seems to be a pressure play where the US tosses out a total and insists that South Korea accept it. That’s not all: the total also reportedly included costs for joint South Korea-US exercises, which had never before been included in the defense cost share, and even costs for US troops stationed outside the Korean Peninsula.

The US’ ridiculous defense cost demands fly in the face of all sense and reason. Even if the Donald Trump administration does view the South Korea-US alliance along the same lines as a business transaction, its demands are not only excessive but disrespectful. It’s even been subtly “letting slip” that USFK numbers could be cut if its demands aren’t accepted. This kind of pressure isn’t even in the US’ own long-term interests, as it is certain to compromise the spirit of the alliance and erode trust between the two sides. Unless its aim is to traffic in mercenaries, the US needs to immediately call off this unreasonable pressure campaign.

South Korea’s share of defense costs this year already represents a total increase of 8.2%. In addition, it has been purchasing large amounts of expensive high-tech weapons from the US -- yet now Washington is demanding fully five times more than what it is receiving now. Seoul must not bend under this US pressure, but uphold the national interest through rigorous presentation of evidence and logic. It must not lose sight of the South Korea’s public’s demand that the defense share be decided at a level that is rational and fair.

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]