The 7th meeting for the conclusion of the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost sharing between Korea and the U.S., which will determine the defense cost sharing for the U.S. Forces in Korea to be applied from 2026, will be held in Seoul for three days starting on the 27th.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 26th, “The government plans to proceed with negotiations based on the position that our defense cost sharing should be at a reasonable level in order to establish conditions for the stable stationing of U.S. forces in Korea and to strengthen the ROK-U.S. joint defense posture.”
This meeting is being held two weeks after the 6th meeting was held in Washington, D.C., USA from the 12th to the 14th.
Prior to the 6th meeting, South Korea and the US held the 1st meeting (Hawaii) from April 23 to 25, the 2nd meeting (Seoul) from May 21 to 23, the 3rd meeting (Washington) from June 10 to 12, the 4th meeting (Seoul) from June 25 to 27, and the 5th meeting (Seoul) from July 10 to 12.
Compared to previous negotiations, the fact that the negotiations are being sped up by holding shorter meeting intervals seems to be due to the primary agreement between South Korea and the US to conclude these meetings ahead of the US presidential election in November.
Linda Specht, the chief U.S. negotiator and senior adviser at the State Department, said in a statement that day, “We look forward to the seventh meeting to conclude the 12th SMA.”
The SMA is an agreement that stipulates the amount that Korea will bear in the cost of stationing U.S. forces in Korea. The contribution is used for the wages of Korean workers working for U.S. forces in Korea, construction costs within U.S. military bases, and support for services and materials.
The two countries of Korea and the United States have signed a total of 11 special agreements, starting with the first agreement in 1991. The 11th SMA signed by Korea and the United States in 2021 will be valid until the end of 2025.
(Seoul = News 1)
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2024-08-26 05:48:19