Is Trump’s Pressure on South Korea Putting the US-ROK Alliance at Risk?
One commentator at the Korea Times thinks so:
Just a day after stirring a beehive for Korean negotiators and the government engaged in tariff talks with the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Korea pays “very little” for America’s military support and should pay much more for its defense. Under a bilateral military alliance, there are 28,500 U.S. military personnel stationed in Korea.
“We rebuilt South Korea. We stayed there. It’s OK. We rebuilt it and we stayed there, and they pay us very little for the military,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “South Korea is making a lot of money and they are good … But you know, they should be paying for their own military.”
It’s the latest in a series of dramatic comments that the U.S. president has hurled at Korea. Trump on the campaign trail had said that Korea would be paying $10 billion a year if he were in the White House. (……..)
The time has come for officials to engage in talks based on data and numbers but also in a mutually beneficial and respectful manner. The U.S., for its part, should seriously consider the adverse impact its excessive demands on traditional allies such as South Korea will have on the deterrence against North Korea and — more profoundly for the U.S. — China. Alliances should not be sacrificed for the unilateral and transactional pursuit of short-term national interests as sought by the Trump administration.
You can read more at the link, but the alliance will survive the Trump administration. However, if the ROK does not agree to the strategic flexibility that the Pentagon is looking for then this could cause some changes to the alliance.
“But you know, they should be paying for their own military.”
That can be interpreted to mean that USFK should just bugger out.
Kevin, Trump could cure cancer and his opponents would focus on the people put out of work.
Trump is just saying South Korea needs to put on big boy pants now.
And after the bombing mission, I think he wants North Korea to focus on Peace, not War.
The US says, “45,000 US troops” (lol at the lies that the US side keeps telling their base), will pack up and leave if they don’t get their $10 billion black money.
And second, America built things in Korea as much as they have built in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Lebanon, Vietnam, or anywhere else the US occupied. Don’t overestimate and overcredit yourselves.