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The US Department of Defense headquarters at the Pentagon

The Pentagon said on Feb. 19 that the issue of defense cost-sharing issue will “obviously” be on the agenda of a meeting between the US and South Korea’s top defense officials, scheduled for Washington on Feb. 24. While the two countries’ defense cost-sharing negotiations are reportedly moving toward a conclusion, this remark presumably means that the US is leaning on South Korea to boost its financial contribution to stationing US troops.

Jonathan Hoffman, a spokesperson for the US Department of Defense (DOD), was asked about the agenda of the upcoming meeting between US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo during a department briefing on Feb. 19. “The main goal of that meeting is just to continue the relationship we have, to build on our ability to fight together in defense of the peninsula,” Hoffman said.

“Korea is one of our [. . .] longest-serving allies in Asia. We have troops that have been stationed there since the ‘50s and continue to do so,” Hoffman said.

“We’ve got to work through the agreement for funding of forces, so that will obviously be a topic we will discuss,” Hoffman said, adding, “The Secretary’s met with the Korean Minister of Defense at least three or four times since he’s been in office, and so I know he’s looking forward to this meeting next week.”

Hoffman declined to respond specifically to a question about the two countries’ joint military exercises, only saying he didn’t “have any announcement” to make.

The Pentagon’s explicit declaration that the defense cost-sharing issue will “obviously be a topic” appears to signal American pressure in Jeong and Esper’s meeting. While announcing the meeting to the press on Jan. 18, the Pentagon said that South Korea’s cost-sharing contribution would naturally be discussed separately from the two countries’ teams of negotiators.

A Pentagon official also mentioned the possibility of South Koreans employed by US Forces Korea (USFK) being put on unpaid leave if the two sides can’t reach an agreement in the cost-sharing negotiations by Apr. 1. “There are options — big, medium, small, if you will — with respect to numbers [of furloughed workers]. [. . .] So if needed, we’re going to have to prioritize what services those workers provide, and we’re going to have to prioritize life, health, and safety,” said Vice Director of the Joint Staff Rear Adm. William Byrne, Jr., during the same briefing. His remarks indicate that the US is looking into retaining the services of essential Korean workers, even if others are put on furlough.

By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent

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