hankyoreh

Donald Trump speaks to Bloomberg News at the Economic Club of Chicago on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP/Yonhap)

Former US President Donald Trump called South Korea a “money machine,” also claiming that if he were president, South Korea would be paying US$10 billion to the US for stationing American troops in the country.
 
During an interview with Bloomberg News held at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday, Trump commented on the recently signed South Korea-US Special Measures Agreement (SMA) by saying, “If I were there [in the White House] now, they’d be paying us US$10 billion a year. They’d be happy to do it.” 

He went on to call South Korea a “money machine.” 
 
Trump did not stop there but said that the US has “40,000 troops in harm’s way,” calling this situation “very serious,” as “North Korea’s a very serious power. They have tremendous nuclear power,” suggesting that South Korea must shoulder more in the burden-sharing agreement. Yet again, Trump inflated the number of US Forces Korea soldiers in the country — the actual number is 28,500, but he claimed it is 40,000.
 
South Korea and the US agreed at the beginning of October on the 12th SMA, which remains in effect until 2030. The two countries decided that in 2026, the first year of the new agreement’s validity, South Korea would pay US$1.1 billion, up 8.3% from 2025. The annual increase in defense cost is now to be decided according to the increases in the consumer price index (CPI). 

Many ruled that this agreement was somewhat rushed in anticipation of Trump’s possible return to the White House after the US presidential election in November. Some predict that if Trump is reelected, he will push for renegotiations and for a sharp rise in South Korea’s share in defense costs.
 
Regarding North Korea’s blowing up of various sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines on Tuesday, Trump uploaded a post to Truth Social, writing, “North Korea just blew up the railway going to South Korea. Here we go, this is BAD NEWS!” 

“Only Trump can solve it,” he claimed of the situation. 
 
The US Department of State urged North Korea to “reduce tensions and cease any actions that would increase the risk of conflict” on the same day.

By Lee Bon-young, Washington correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]