This week, the United States and South Korea failed to reach an agreement on how to share the cost for U.S. troops deployed on the Korean Peninsula.
The two countries had failed to come to an agreement last December as well - ultimately settling on a one-year deal in February of this year where South Korea increased its contribution from around $800 million to nearly $1 billion.
In the current round of negotiations, the Trump administration has sought a 400% increase. A payment of $4.7 billion that would cover the entire cost of U.S. troop deployment and more.
The position of the U.S. government has elicited concerns both in South Korea and the United States. Long-time policy watchers have raised worries that this may weaken the alliance at a vital juncture in U.S. engagements in the region, or push South Korea to take radical steps to better protect itself against the North Korean threat, such as the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Our guest today, former ROK Foreign Minister Song Min-soon, is one of the original architects of the burden-sharing agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea. He is also a long-time policy practitioner who worked on U.S.-Korea relations. He joins us today to provide his view of relations between the two countries.
Here is the link to KEI's event on U.S. approach to defense burden-sharing: https://youtu.be/CH0jHNB5OwQ
And you can find KEI fellow Kyle Ferrier’s paper on the monetary value of Korea’s contributions to U.S. foreign policy here: http://www.keia.org/sites/default/files/publications/kei_monitoring_the_linchpin_191205.pdf
Winning an Election during a Pandemic: Scott Snyder, Kang Insun, and Song Hochang
Going Together to Address a Pandemic: Marc Knapper
Public Health is Human Rights, Human Rights is Public Health: Ambassador Robert King and Greg Scarlatoiu
The Economic Fallout of a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone and Kyle Ferrier
The Rise, Stumble, and Rise of A Conglomerate: Geoffrey Cain
How Korea and the World Are (and Are Not) Fighting the Coronavirus: Amb. Kathleen Stephens and Mark Tokola
How an Isolated Country Fights a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone
Tackling the Coronavirus is Not Costless: Kyle Ferrier
Can North Korea take on the coronavrius? Not alone: John Grundy
[Rebroadcast] North Korea's Healthcare System: John Grundy
10 Issues for the Korean Peninsula in 2020: KEI Staff
Monetizing The Linchpin: Kyle Ferrier
Building a Better Future with Truth: Min Jin Lee
Representation and Community: Alexander Chee
Korea and the Persian Gulf: Troy Stangarone
Impeachment, Part 2: Consequences
Impeachment, Part 1: Precedent
A Team of Their Own: Seth Berkman
The Korean Revolutionary in Cuba: Joseph Juhn
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free