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Old 01-23-2019, 10:07 AM
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Question U.S. tells Korea to pay $1 billion or its troops will be pulled out

U.S. tells Korea to pay $1 billion or its troops will be pulled out
By: Korea JoongAng Daily
RE: http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/...px?aid=3058549

Washington is pushing Seoul to pay at least $1 billion annually to host American troops in South Korea ― and threatening to withdraw U.S. forces if it refuses.

According to a local source with knowledge of the ongoing negotiations, who exclusively spoke with the JoongAng Ilbo, a U.S. government official relayed the offer to South Korea last week and said Washington will never allow Seoul's payment to fall below a 10-digit figure.

Seoul paid around 960.2 billion won ($852 million) last year, which is known to be about half the total expenses for stationing U.S. forces here. (In other words, both countries roughly paid the same amount).

Washington's proposal was part of negotiations to renew the bilateral Special Measures Agreement (SMA), a multiyear cost-sharing deal under the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, to maintain the 28,500 American troops that make up the U.S. Forces Korea. The two countries have been discussing the renewal since March 2018 as the current deal expired at the end of last year. Even after 10 rounds of talks, the two sides have failed to narrow their differences and have agreed to continue negotiations.

Seoul officials have refused to pay the United States more than 1 trillion won. Washington's demand of $1 billion is about 1.1 trillion won.

According to the local source, the U.S. government official said it was U.S. President Donald Trump's stance that "Either they [South Korea] pay or we pull out." The American official continued that there would be no room for negotiation on the $1 billion-or-above offer, the source said.
It is not known how Seoul replied to this ultimatum.

Trump has pressed U.S. allies around the world to pay more for defense costs and repeatedly said that Washington will renegotiate terms so that his country will be treated “fairly.”

After his first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last June in Singapore, Trump cited the "tremendously expensive" cost of joint military exercises with South Korea when he said he would end the two countries' "war games" during a press conference with international reporters. South Korea, he added, wasn't contributing 100 percent of the "incredible" amount of money spent on them.

Concerning American troops in the South, Trump said, "I want to get our soldiers out. I want to bring our soldiers back home," but added in the same breath, "That's not part of the equation. At some point, I hope it would be."

Another source in South Korea feared that Trump may try to bring up that issue with Kim in late February when they meet for their second summit, in light of the fact that Pyongyang has been pressing Washington to provide reciprocal measures for its "goodwill gestures" related to denuclearization.

If South Korean President Moon Jae-in gave any hint of a possible withdrawal during his New Year's press conference on Jan. 10, it was that the U.S. troops would remain ― for the time being.

"The issue of American troops in South Korea is not related to the process of denuclearization," said Moon, adding that they were here on the basis on the Seoul-Washington alliance.

"When both Koreas, and North Korea and the United States, declare a formal end to the Korean War and, furthermore, go on to sign a peace treaty, the issue would entirely lie with South Korea and the United States to decide whether to keep the American forces" in South Korea, said the Blue House chief.

"North Korea's Kim Jong-un understands this well," he said.

BY CHUN SU-JIN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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Old 01-23-2019, 10:13 AM
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Question North Korea criticizes U.S. calls for military renegotiations with South

North Korea criticizes U.S. calls for military renegotiations with South
By: Elizabeth Shim / 1-23-19
RE: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...8811548254863/

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- North Korean state media slammed the United States on Wednesday for renegotiating a military cost-sharing agreement with South Korea.

Pyongyang's Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun stated U.S. demands for the South to pay more for maintaining troops on the peninsula is a "violation" of the spirit of reconciliation.

Renegotiations "contradict the current trend toward easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula," the Rodong stated in an article with a headline that suggested the United States holds an "ulterior motive" for increasing costs.

The Rodong added Washington was operating on "outdated principles" and intimidating Seoul with the cost-sharing issue.

In December, the United States made its "final offer" to renegotiate a military cost-sharing agreement with South Korea.

The top U.S. diplomat to Seoul reportedly asked the South to pay $1 billion annually, and that the agreement be renegotiated a year later. The United States initially asked the South to pay $1.6 billion, terms which Seoul rejected after 10 rounds of talks between the two sides since March. South Korea has steadily borne the cost of U.S. troops on the peninsula, which stood at about $500 million as recently as 2005.

On Wednesday the Rodong also claimed the United States has caused a "great deal of damage" to the South Korean people, and that they needed to be provided with reparations.

North Korea has suspended tests of missiles and nuclear weapons since 2018, and could be turning its attention to economic development.

State-controlled KCNA reported Wednesday the regime held a cabinet-level meeting to discuss the implementation of a five-year economic plan.

The mission is to execute Kim Jong Un's "historic" New Year's address.

Kim had called on "all sector's of the people's economy" to implement the five-year national economic development plan.

The North Korean leader is expected to hold a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump by the end of February.
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Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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