In a reported disclosure, American officials mulled over proposing an increase in South Korea's defense expenditure to a GDP percentage of 3.8, during ongoing tariff negotiations.
The Trump administration has reportedly considered using tariffs as a negotiating tool to push for increased South Korean defense spending and operational flexibility for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
During tariff negotiations with South Korea, the administration allegedly planned to demand an increase in South Korea's defense spending from about 2.6% to 3.8% of its GDP, and to increase its financial contribution towards the costs of hosting approximately 28,500 U.S. troops on the peninsula.
Moreover, U.S. officials reportedly sought South Korea's endorsement of greater operational flexibility for USFK, aiming to strengthen deterrence against China. They also urged a repositioning of U.S. troops under the USFK command.
The use of tariffs in these talks was part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to leverage trade matters to advance national security goals, including alliance modernization and burden sharing in defense. This approach involved pressing U.S. allies like South Korea to increase their defense investments and cooperation in addressing regional security challenges, such as those posed by China.
However, it is unclear if these demands were officially incorporated into the final negotiation outcomes. Seoul and Washington are currently working on shaping the agenda for the upcoming summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump.
This concept of strategic flexibility has resurfaced in discussions about the modernization of the alliance between South Korea and the U.S. The modernization of the alliance is a current focus of discussion, with the document including a requirement for South Korea to issue a political statement supporting flexibility for USFK force posture to better deter China.
South Korea's annual costs for basing US troops in the country were proposed to be covered by an increased contribution of over $1 billion. South Korea's current defense budget for this year is approximately 61.2 trillion won ($44.2 billion), which equates to 2.32% of its GDP. The document also suggested that South Korea should continue to deter North Korea while supporting the flexibility for USFK force posture to better deter China.
[1] "U.S. Officials Weigh Idea of Requiring South Korea to Publicly Support Operational Flexibility of U.S. Forces Korea" - The New York Times, link
[2] "Trump Administration May Seek Greater Strategic Flexibility for American Troops in South Korea" - The Washington Post, link
[3] "Trump Administration Prioritizes Deterring an Increasingly Assertive China as Part of Its Strategic Goals" - The Wall Street Journal, link
[4] "Pentagon Says South Korea and Other Asian Allies Should Adhere to the 'Global Standard' of Spending 5% of Their GDP on Defense" - Reuters, link
- The Trump administration's consideration of using tariffs as a negotiation tool was part of a wider policy-and-legislation strategy to advance national security goals, which included pushing for increased South Korean defense spending and operational flexibility for USFK as seen in general news reports.
- In addition to the demands for increased defense spending and operational flexibility, U.S. officials also sought South Korea's endorsement of greater strategic flexibility for USFK, aiming to strengthen deterrence against China, a topic often discussed in the realm of politics and general news.
