Trump says South Korea should be paying for its own defence
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US President Donald Trump (in a yellow tie) speaking to reporters during a July 8 Cabinet meeting at the White House.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Trump says South Korea should pay for its military protection, claiming they make a lot of money and benefit from US troop presence.
- He alleges Biden "cancelled" his deal where South Korea would pay US$10 billion per year, after he secured US$3 billion.
- South Korea hosts 28,500 US troops and recently agreed to increase its contribution by 8.3 per cent to US$1.47 billion.
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said on July 8 South Korea should be paying for its own military protection and suggested the US ally needed to fork out more for the American troop presence there, a day after saying he planned to impose a 25 per cent tariff on its imports.
“It’s very unfair. We supply the militaries to many very successful countries,” Mr Trump told reporters at a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House.
“South Korea is making a lot of money, and they’re very good. They’re very good, but, you know, they should be paying for their own military.”
Mr Trump said he had got South Korea to agree to pay more for the presence of US forces during his first term, but his predecessor Joe Biden “cancelled” the deal.
“I said to South Korea... you know, we give you free military, essentially, very little,” Mr Trump said, adding that he had told Seoul it should pay US$10 billion a year.
“I got three (billion) with a phone call... but I said next year we have to talk,” he said, making claims Reuters has not verified.
Mr Trump said the presence of US forces was a “huge” economic benefit for countries that hosted them.
“It’s like having a city, it’s tremendous money for them, and it’s a tremendous loss for us... so we’re talking, in a very nice way, We’re talking to them.”
South Korea hosts about 28,500 American troops as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War. It relies on the US nuclear umbrella for protection against China, Russia and North Korea, and it is seen as a key ally for projecting US military power.
Shortly before the 2024 US election, South Korea and the Biden administration hurried to sign a new five-year agreement under which Seoul would raise its contribution towards the upkeep of US troops by 8.3 per cent to US$1.47 billion (S$1.88 billion) in the first year, with later increases linked to the consumer price index.
During his election campaign, Mr Trump said South Korea should pay as much as US$10 billion a year. He has also said such costs would be part of trade negotiations.
Mr Trump in the past has suggested that he could withdraw US forces stationed overseas if countries did not pay more for their upkeep.
In May, the Pentagon said a Wall Street Journal report that the US was considering withdrawing roughly 4,500 troops from South Korea was not true. REUTERS
