hankyoreh

ames DeHart, the US’ chief negotiator in its defense cost-sharing talks with South Korea, holds an emergency press conference at the American Center Korea in Seoul after the third round of the two sides’ Special Measures Agreement negotiations broke down on Nov. 19. (Yonhap News)

At 11:30 am on Nov. 19, in the middle of South Korea and the US’ third round of negotiations about updating their defense cost-sharing agreement, the American team of negotiators abruptly cut the talks short and walked out of the room. But about 10 minutes after the negotiations began at 10 am, the American negotiators had contacted certain newspapers to notify them of plans for an emergency press conference. This has led some to conclude that the US had gone into the negotiations with the plan of halting them, in order to put more pressure on South Korea.

Various sources connected with South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the Hankyoreh on Tuesday that American officials had contacted certain foreign and domestic reporters based in Seoul and informed them of the press conference about 10 minutes after the two teams began their third round of negotiations at 10 am. The negotiations for South Korea and the US’ 11th cost-sharing agreement, the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), were held at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, in Seoul’s Dongdaemun District.

The reporters were invited by the US Embassy to South Korea to show up by 1 pm at the American Center Korea in Seoul’s Yongsan District for a briefing at 1:30 pm, with broadcasters allowed to bring in recording equipment. But the embassy didn’t disclose who would be conducting the briefing or what it would be about.

The negotiations were ended unilaterally by the American team at 11:40 am, and the embassy moved the press conference forward to lunch time, asking reporters to arrive by 12:30 pm. Shortly before the press conference, an embassy spokesperson who was present explained that James DeHart, the US’ chief negotiator, would be reading a prepared statement for about two minutes. The spokesperson added that DeHart wouldn’t be taking any questions and that he’d leave after the statement. At 12:45, Dehart showed up and read the statement announcing a rupture in the negotiations, maintaining a stiff expression throughout.

During the press conference on Tuesday, DeHart slammed South Korea for not being “responsive” to American expectations. During a visit to South Korea about 10 days before the negotiations, DeHart had attempted to convince the public that a massive increase in South Korea’s financial obligation was inevitable by presenting the US$5 billion “bill” during meetings with numerous members of the press and the National Assembly. Once again, he sought to rattle South Korea by executing a deliberate plan to cut the negotiations short and hold a surprise press conference. His actions also testify to the fact that the American demands are so unreasonable that they’re unlikely to be achieved through the negotiations alone.

DeHart said that the American negotiators had come to Seoul prepared to listen with an open mind and that they had even been prepared to adjust their position in order to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. But he didn’t provide any details about exactly what adjustments the US had contemplated.

Dehart’s emergency press conference was convened swiftly and concluded in two minutes. He didn’t field any questions from reporters either.

By Noh Ji-won, staff reporter

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