I was down in Songt’an recently, and couldn’t believe how many young Korean whippersnappers were tooling around the back alleys there in fancy new Beemers, Benzes and Porsches. It seems to me that a significant portion of the salaries of our service members there, paid by the U.S. taxpayer as far as I know, is recycled directly into the local Korean economy, be it through home-rental payments, bar-hopping, general shopping, dining and other “entertainment” expenses. Meanwhile, we are subsidizing the defense of our direct economic competitors, as companies such as Samsung and Hyundai flood the U.S. market with products that are ultimately rip-offs of American innovation (even as South Korea does all it can to close off its market to fair competition from U.S. companies). I would say that South Korea can pony up quite a bit more cash if they really want us to stick around.
To try to make Pyongyang’s point, they compare apples and oranges. To Perdition with ’em.
I was down in Songt’an recently, and couldn’t believe how many young Korean whippersnappers were tooling around the back alleys there in fancy new Beemers, Benzes and Porsches. It seems to me that a significant portion of the salaries of our service members there, paid by the U.S. taxpayer as far as I know, is recycled directly into the local Korean economy, be it through home-rental payments, bar-hopping, general shopping, dining and other “entertainment” expenses. Meanwhile, we are subsidizing the defense of our direct economic competitors, as companies such as Samsung and Hyundai flood the U.S. market with products that are ultimately rip-offs of American innovation (even as South Korea does all it can to close off its market to fair competition from U.S. companies). I would say that South Korea can pony up quite a bit more cash if they really want us to stick around.
Agreed. But the article leaves out details and assumes all types of troops, equipment, bases, etc. cost the same fixed price per GI.
Heritage Foundation (conservative think tank): S. Korea provides ‘substantial resources’ for American troops
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2016/11/17/0200000000AEN20161117000500315.html