Trump demanding more funding from South Korea for American troops' presence
President Trump is demanding that South Korea increase their funding for American troops deployed on the peninsula, according to The Wall Street Journal. The demand has reportedly soured negotiations over the Special Measures Agreement, a defense pact between the two countries.
The Special Measures Agreement's five-year contract expires Dec. 31 and currently requires South Korea to pay $830 million per year to the U.S. for the more than 28,500 American troops based in the country. The Journal reports that Trump is pushing for between $1.2 and $1.6 billion per year.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been telling his county's officials that he isn't willing to pay more, according to the report, and leaders of the top five political parties have reportedly said they can't absorb an increase.
The friction with Seoul comes as the U.S. is heavily pursuing North Korean denuclearization. Talks between the U.S. and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have stalled lately as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Kim canceled a meeting last month.
Moon and his northern counterpart are planning a summit and have already made significant moves toward warming relations.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/420388-trump-demanding-more-funding-from-south-korea-for-american
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If they don't will the USA pull the troops allowing Un to attack SK?
