S.Korea presidential candidate says open to discussing US troop costs
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South Korea's conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo expresses willingness to increase the country's share of costs for US military presence, aligning partially with Trump’s demands.
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South Korean presidential candidate, Kim Moon Soo of the People Power Party, looks on before a televised presidential debate for the June 3 presidential election at SBS studio in Seoul, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Chung Sung-Jun/Pool Photo via AP)
South Korea's conservative presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo stated on Monday that he is willing to discuss increasing South Korea’s share of the costs associated with the US military presence in South Korea, aligning with a long-standing demand from US President Donald Trump.
Speaking during a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce Korea, Kim Moon-soo acknowledged concerns raised by Trump regarding the financial burden of maintaining tens of thousands of US troops in the country.
"People are nervous if President Trump says let's raise [South Korea's] share of the US military in South Korea, and I believe we can raise it to a certain degree," Kim said, emphasizing that ensuring a stable US military presence in South Korea should be a matter of national interest.
In his speeches, Trump has repeatedly linked military cost-sharing to broader trade negotiations, and his administration has suggested that the expense of basing American troops in South Korea and Japan should be considered when determining import tariffs imposed on multiple countries, including long-standing Asian allies.
However, South Korean officials have maintained that the current agreement is not subject to renegotiation and should not be used as leverage in trade discussions.
Current agreement between US and South Korea
South Korea and the United States signed a five-year cost-sharing agreement in October. Under the deal, South Korea's contribution rose by 8.3% to 1.52 trillion won (approximately $1.09 billion) to support the US military presence on its soil.
Currently, about 28,500 American troops are stationed in the country as part of a longstanding arrangement to deter the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), while South Korea started covering portions of these costs in the early 1990s, including labor, infrastructure, and logistical support.
Kim Moon-soo is running on June 3 as the candidate for the conservative People Power Party. The vote was triggered after President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office following a failed attempt to impose martial law.
The political uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to defense and foreign policy decisions, including the issue of cost-sharing with the US.
On Saturday, former South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol announced that he is leaving the conservative People Power Party (PPP), further shaking up the political landscape just weeks before the country’s June 3 snap election. His statement, issued via Facebook, comes as the PPP’s presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo, continues to lag in opinion polls behind liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung.
A Gallup Korea poll released Friday revealed that only 29% of respondents support Kim, compared to 51% who back Lee, the Democratic Party nominee.
