Shifting the Burden: The U.S.-Korea Alliance amid Washington’s New Approach to Military Cost-Sharing

Negotiations to reach a new military burden-sharing agreement between Washington and Seoul before the existing one expires at the end of the year are causing widespread concern in South Korea. The Special Measures Agreement (SMA) – determining how much South Korea contributes to the cost of hosting U.S. military forces – has been revisited every few years since 1991, but talks been more divisive under Trump administration. When the previous SMA was set to expire at the end of 2018, the U.S. reportedly asked for a 100% increase, before settling on an 8.2% jump to be addressed again at the end of 2019 – rather than the five-year increments between the most recent agreements. Washington has amplified its position this year by asking Seoul to quadruple its contributions by December 31, raising alarms about the future of the alliance among the Korean public and policymakers.

Negotiations to reach a new military burden-sharing agreement between Washington and Seoul before the existing one expires at the end of the year are causing widespread concern in South Korea. The Special Measures Agreement (SMA) – determining how much South Korea contributes to the cost of hosting U.S. military forces – has been revisited every few years since 1991, but talks been more divisive under Trump administration. When the previous SMA was set to expire at the end of 2018, the U.S. reportedly asked for a 100% increase, before settling on an 8.2% jump to be addressed again at the end of 2019 – rather than the five-year increments between the most recent agreements. Washington has amplified its position this year by asking Seoul to quadruple its contributions by December 31, raising alarms about the future of the alliance among the Korean public and policymakers.

Please join KEI for a program to discuss how the SMA talks fit within the broader shift of how the U.S. is approaching the cost of alliances, the security challenges facing the U.S.-ROK alliance in the years ahead, and the potential implications of South Korea’s growing concerns.

Please join KEI for a program to discuss how the SMA talks fit within the broader shift of how the U.S. is approaching the cost of alliances, the security challenges facing the U.S.-ROK alliance in the years ahead, and the potential implications of South Korea’s growing concerns.

KEI will also be releasing a report by Kyle Ferrier at the event entitled: “Monetizing the Linchpin: Trump’s Foreign Policy versus the U.S.-Korea Alliance’s Value to Washington.”

KEI will also be releasing a report by Kyle Ferrier at the event entitled: “Monetizing the Linchpin: Trump’s Foreign Policy versus the U.S.-Korea Alliance’s Value to Washington.”