ID :
31634
Sat, 11/22/2008 - 21:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/31634
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea, U.S reach tentative deal on military burdensharing
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have ironed out differences on how much Seoul should pay for stationing American troops here, a Foreign Ministry official said Friday.
"There was significant progress in the fifth round of negotiations held in
Honolulu from Nov. 19-20," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Although
we can't rule out the possibility of another round of talks, the two sides will
likely need consultations through diplomatic channels only to fine-tune details."
He refused to elaborate on the terms of the deal, however.
About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed on the Korean Peninsula as a legacy of
the 1950-53 Korean War. South Korea started sharing the cost of maintaining the
troops in 1991.
Seoul provided the U.S. with 725.5 billion won in cash last year and is expected
to pay the same amount this year with an adjustment for inflation under the
Special Measures Agreement (SMA). When the deal was reached in late 2006, one
dollar was worth about 950 won. The exchange rate now hovers at around 1,450 won
against the greenback. The U.S. claims Seoul's financial contributions account
for about 42 percent of the total costs.
A diplomatic source said later that the two sides will likely sign a three- to
five-year contract this time.
The source said that South Korea also agreed to allow the U.S. to use the SMA
funds for a multi-trillion-won project to relocate the U.S. Second Infantry
Division to a consolidated base in Pyeongtaek, 70km south of Seoul.
Under the 2004 Land Partnership Plan (LPP) deal, the U.S. promised to pay all
costs for the relocation of the frontline division, while South Korea said it
would shoulder the cost of moving the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul to
Pyeongtaek.
In the SMA talks, South Korea was represented by Cho Byung-je, ambassador for
talks on defense cost-sharing, while his counterpart was Jackson McDonald, senior
adviser for security negotiations. Cho is scheduled to return to Seoul this
weekend.
"There was significant progress in the fifth round of negotiations held in
Honolulu from Nov. 19-20," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Although
we can't rule out the possibility of another round of talks, the two sides will
likely need consultations through diplomatic channels only to fine-tune details."
He refused to elaborate on the terms of the deal, however.
About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed on the Korean Peninsula as a legacy of
the 1950-53 Korean War. South Korea started sharing the cost of maintaining the
troops in 1991.
Seoul provided the U.S. with 725.5 billion won in cash last year and is expected
to pay the same amount this year with an adjustment for inflation under the
Special Measures Agreement (SMA). When the deal was reached in late 2006, one
dollar was worth about 950 won. The exchange rate now hovers at around 1,450 won
against the greenback. The U.S. claims Seoul's financial contributions account
for about 42 percent of the total costs.
A diplomatic source said later that the two sides will likely sign a three- to
five-year contract this time.
The source said that South Korea also agreed to allow the U.S. to use the SMA
funds for a multi-trillion-won project to relocate the U.S. Second Infantry
Division to a consolidated base in Pyeongtaek, 70km south of Seoul.
Under the 2004 Land Partnership Plan (LPP) deal, the U.S. promised to pay all
costs for the relocation of the frontline division, while South Korea said it
would shoulder the cost of moving the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul to
Pyeongtaek.
In the SMA talks, South Korea was represented by Cho Byung-je, ambassador for
talks on defense cost-sharing, while his counterpart was Jackson McDonald, senior
adviser for security negotiations. Cho is scheduled to return to Seoul this
weekend.
