Tomorrow (6th), the ninth Korea-US defense cost share negotiation meeting will be held in Washington, USA. The negotiations, which have been in place for the first year, are expected to be concluded this time due to the excessive demands of the former President Trump. It is observed that the official results will be announced by the US Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, who are pursuing their visit to Korea on the 17th, coming to Seoul.
This is Kim Yoon-soo, correspondent from Washington.
Ambassador Jung Eun-bo has arrived in Washington, USA.
To attend tomorrow’s 9th defense cost-sharing negotiation meeting.
Negotiations have been around for a year as former President Trump objected to a 13% increase in defense cost sharing, which was tentatively agreed by the US-Korea working-level negotiations in March last year.
There was one video conference held last month since the inauguration of the Biden government, but this is the first time in person.
As such, there are many observations that there is a high possibility that the negotiations will be concluded at this meeting.
[정은보/한미 방위비 분담협상 대사 : 마지막이 되기를 희망합니다만, 필요에 따라서는 추가적인 대면 협상이 필요할 수도 있고요, 대부분의 쟁점 사항들이 해소되기를 (바랍니다.)]
Earlier, the US media reported that the ROK and the United States were approaching a multi-year contract that would increase their defense cost share by 13 percent.
The fact that US Secretary of State Blincoln and US Secretary of Defense Austin are pursuing a visit to Korea on the 17th is also weighing on the observations of the conclusion of the negotiations.
There is a possibility that the two ministers will visit Korea and make an official announcement of what was concluded at the meeting tomorrow.
Prior to their visit to Korea, the two ministers also decided to visit Japan and hold the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee.
As the head of diplomacy of the Biden administration chose Korea and Japan as the first overseas trip, it is evaluated that the strengthening of the triangular alliance between Korea and the United States has started in earnest.
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