US Presses for Major Increase in Defense Costs While Boosting South Korea

Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Napier Reiterates South Korea's Flexibility... Continues Remarks on Participation in 'Anti-China Bloc'
Regarding Hong Kong Security Law, South Korean Foreign Ministry's Position Praised as "Unprecedented, Appreciated"
US Belatedly Accepts 'Advance Payment Plan for Korean Workers' Wages at USFK'... Pressures Defense Cost Increase Again After Two Days

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The United States has once again pressured South Korea for a significant increase in defense cost-sharing payments, stating that the South Korean government needs to show 'flexibility.' Citing issues such as the expansion of the Group of Seven (G7) to include South Korea and South Korea's stance on the China-Hong Kong "one country, two systems" policy, the U.S. made remarks aimed at the main negotiations that will determine the scale of the defense cost increase while praising South Korea.

Mark Naeper, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, emphasized South Korea's flexibility again on the 4th (local time) regarding the ongoing nine-month Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations on defense cost-sharing between South Korea and the U.S. This came just two days after the U.S. announced it would belatedly accept the South Korean government's proposal from March for the "prepayment plan of wages for Korean workers employed by the U.S. Forces Korea."

At a virtual seminar on Korean Peninsula issues hosted by the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Deputy Assistant Secretary Naeper said there had been very important recent progress in the SMA negotiations, stating, "We have been very flexible, and now we urge the South Korean government to show the same flexibility." This highlighted the U.S. acceptance of South Korea's proposal for wage prepayment and separate negotiations, which the U.S. side had insisted on a "comprehensive settlement," and the reduction of the total cost-sharing amount from over $5 billion?more than five times last year's 1.0389 trillion won?to $1.3 billion, a 50% increase.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, Deputy Assistant Secretary Naeper praised South Korea's recent actions amid increased pressure on China over the Hong Kong National Security Law and added remarks pressuring South Korea to align with the U.S. He referred to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' recent statement on the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law, which said, "It is important that Hong Kong's prosperity and development continue under the one country, two systems policy," calling it an "unprecedented position" and expressing gratitude. Earlier, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kim In-chul stated at a regular briefing on the 2nd, "It is important that the one country, two systems policy and Hong Kong's prosperity and development continue. We respect the contents of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration."

He also made remarks demanding South Korea's active participation in the 'anti-China bloc.' He emphasized that the U.S. is looking for ways to cooperate between South Korea's New Southern Policy and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and is cooperating with South Korea in transitioning the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) communication infrastructure to 5G. Regarding the discussion on expanding the G7 system, which South Korea showed active willingness to participate in following a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump, he said, "We are clearly still looking into it and making efforts to discuss it."

Meanwhile, Deputy Assistant Secretary Naeper dismissed concerns about the recent deployment of new military equipment to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in Seongju, Gyeongbuk, saying, "It is not a significant performance upgrade." Regarding the renewed tensions between South Korea and Japan, he expressed the view that the two countries should resolve the issues themselves rather than expecting active U.S. mediation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]