Allies need to discuss Seoul's defense costs beyond current deal: Joseph Yun

Korea Herald

4 days ago

Yun expects Lee-Trump summit 'within a short time'
South Korea and the United States need to discuss whether Seoul is paying enough, including costs not currently covered under their existing defense cost-sharing deal, the acting US ambassador to South Korea said Tuesday.
Joseph Yun, charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul, said the allies should revisit South Korea's financial contributions beyond the scope of the current Special Measures Agreement.
South Korea has financially supported the stationing of around 28,500 US Forces Korea personnel by covering three major parts: labor expenses for USFK Korean workers, construction costs for military facilities and logistical support for military operations under the framework of the SMA.
Seoul and Washington finalized the 12th SMA from 2026 to 2030 in October last year.
'But the SMA only covers a limited portion of the costs. If you look at the SMA in the document, there are just three categories. But there are other costs beyond those, and the question is how to share those additional expenses,' Yun told reporters in Korean during a press conference in Seoul.
'We also need to discuss whether South Korea's overall defense spending is enough. That's another issue that should be part of the discussion."
Yun defended US calls for allies to meet the global standard of spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, citing the US' own unsustainable budget deficit as context.
'We need fairer sharing, and I think that was one of the key reasons why (US President) Donald Trump was elected — and that is the reality,' Yun said in English.
Washington urges quick fix to tariff issue
Yun explained Seoul and Washington need broader discussion on how to 'modernize the alliance,' which he described as one of two key challenges in South Korea-US relations.
Yun emphasized the need for the allies to jointly address new strategic challenges and emerging regional issues, particularly those stemming from competition between the US and China, including how US assets, defense capabilities, and regional forces such as US Forces Korea and US Forces Japan are postured.
Another key challenge for the alliance is trade, with Yun calling on the Lee Jae Myung administration to 'quickly deal with US expectations.'
'From the US side, the most urgent issue is to move quickly on tariff negotiations,' Yun said. 'In terms of trade, tariffs are by far the most serious concern, and the US hopes to normalize and resolve the issue swiftly, as that would help stabilize other areas as well.'
When asked about a 'one-stop shopping' deal, which would clinch a deal on tariffs, investment and defense all at once, Yun also suggested that the US preferred a phased approach.
Trump mentioned a 'one-stop shopping' deal on Truth Social following his phone call with then-acting President Han Duck-soo in April.
'There is no question: while they may be related in terms of narrow substance, they are different, and they are not readily mixed and matched. So my hope — and our hope — is that there can be a framework agreement that includes many of those parts,' Yun said in English, transitioning from Korean.
'We're not going to reach detailed deals in every one of them. So what is important is the framework agreement that includes all of those elements. But of course, for each stream, it may take a while to finally get all the details.'
With regard to the first summit between Lee and Trump, Yun said the allies are doing their best to schedule the meeting, though the timing remains uncertain due to both leaders' unclear schedules.
'On the summit, we're working on it, and I would expect we will announce it. But again, it just needs to fit the schedule of both President Lee and President Trump,' Yun said.
'I have no doubt that, within a short time, there will be a summit meeting between President Trump and President Lee.'
Denuclearization nonstarter for Pyongyang
On the potential resumption of US-North Korea dialogue, Yun said he has no doubt that Trump considers his engagement with North Korea as 'unfinished business and homework.'
'It takes two to tango, and we haven't really heard from the North Korean side whether they, too, want to engage,' he added.
When asked if the US should maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization, should dialogue kickstart, Yun said the goal would be a non-starter for North Korea.
'That is not a smart way to engage or begin discussions. You must engage smartly, with a path, so that eventually your big goal can be accomplished,' Yun said. 'And certainly, denuclearization is a big goal — but it cannot be put out as a condition for an initial meeting.'
Yun, however, clarified that 'the US is not going to recognize North Korea as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.'
'There's no question about that. But is it a country that possesses nuclear weapons? Yes,' Yun went on to say.
'It is a nuclear weapons-possessing state, but we cannot recognize it as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.'