Presidential Candidate Kim Open to Renegotiating U.S. Troop Costs in South Korea

Kim Moon-soo, South Korea’s conservative presidential candidate, has publicly stated his willingness to discuss an increased share of costs associated with the U.S. military presence in his country. This comes in response to President Donald Trump’s repeated demands for a cost-sharing plan.

According to reliable sources, President Trump has suggested the cost of stationing tens of thousands of U.S. troops in South Korea, as well as Japan, should be factored into negotiations over import tariffs. These tariffs, announced by his administration, have been levied against various countries, including some Asian allies.

Last October, South Korea and the United States mutually agreed to a five-year plan. Under this agreement, South Korea’s share of the cost to maintain the U.S. military in the region would increase by 8.3% to 1.52 trillion won, equivalent to $1.09 billion. Currently, around 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against potential threats from nuclear-armed North Korea.

South Korea has been shouldering parts of the cost of U.S. deployments since the early 1990s. These funds aid in local labor expenditure, construction of military installations, and other logistical support. “I believe we can raise it to a certain degree,” Kim told a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce Korea.

South Korean officials, however, have maintained that the cost-sharing plan is not up for review and should not be part of the ongoing discussions with the Trump administration over alleged trade imbalances and reciprocal duties on Korean exports. The significance of this should not be overlooked.

Kim is the candidate for the conservative People Power Party for the upcoming snap presidential election on June 3. This follows the removal of Yoon Suk Yeol from office over a failed martial law attempt. This raises important questions about the future of U.S.-South Korea relations.