The Briefing Room
General Category => World News => Topic started by: Right_in_Virginia on February 10, 2019, 02:06:51 pm
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South Korean officials agree to increase payment for presence of US troops after Trump push
The Hill, Feb 10, 2019
South Korean officials on Sunday signed off on an agreement that would increase the nation's contribution to cover the cost of keeping U.S. troops on the Korean peninsula.
The Associated Press reported that Seoul agreed to provide $924 million in 2019, an increase from $830 in recent years. The agreement comes after President Trump criticized the cost of keeping troops on the Korean peninsula, and called for South Korea to contribute more.
The new agreement still requires approval from South Korea's parliament, the AP noted. Unlike past cost-sharing deals, which lasted multiple years, the new agreement would only be for one-year, forcing negotiators to hammer out a new pact in the coming months, it added.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said feedback for the agreement has been "positive so far," but acknowledged some pushback, the AP reported.
More: https://thehill.com/policy/international/429301-south-korean-officials-agree-to-increase-payment-for-presence-of-us
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Apparently, we spend approximately $1.4 to $1.5 billion per year.