Fourth round of USFK cost-sharing talks wrap up in Seoul

South Korea and the United States ended Thursday their fourth round of negotiations on determining how much Seoul should shoulder for stationing American troops here, officials said.

Wrapping up the three-day talks in Seoul, both sides said they had "productive" discussions as they will continue to work toward reaching a deal that would benefit them both and their staunch alliance.

"Both sides engaged in productive discussions to broaden mutual understanding and expand common ground on key issues of interest," a foreign ministry official in Seoul said on condition of anonymity.

Linda Specht, U.S. lead negotiator for security agreements from the Department of State, reiterated the goal of reaching a "mutually acceptable" agreement.

"Delegations from the United States and the Republic of Korea continued productive and substantive discussions, as we work toward our common objective of a mutually acceptable agreement that supports our shared security," Specht said in a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, referring to South Korea by its official name.

Seoul and Washington launched the negotiations in April to renew the cost-sharing deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), amid the view that South Korea is seeking an early deal to avoid tough bargaining in case former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Under Trump's presidency, Washington had demanded more than a fivefold increase in Seoul's payment to $5 billion.

The current six-year SMA, due to expire at the end of next year, committed South Korea to paying $1.03 billion for 2021, a 13.9 percent increase from 2019, and increasing the payment every year for the subsequent four years in line with the rise in Seoul's defense spending.

South Korea has said it seeks to have negotiations based on the position that its share should come at a "reasonable level," to create an environment for the stable stationing of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and to strengthen the allies' combined defense posture.

Since 1991, Seoul has partially shared the cost for Korean USFK workers; the construction of military installations, such as barracks, as well as training, educational, operational and communications facilities; and other logistical support.

Yonhap