The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) recently announced the finalization of a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) which details cost-sharing for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. This agreement has been long-awaited, as the previous SMA expired in December 2019, and negotiations on a new agreement had been ongoing for over a year.
The new SMA will see a significant increase in South Korea`s contribution to the cost of hosting American troops, with South Korea agreeing to pay $924 million in 2019. This represents a roughly 8% increase from the previous agreement, but still falls short of the Trump administration`s initial demand of $1.6 billion. Both sides have praised the new SMA as a sign of their strong alliance, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stating it “reaffirms the United States and Republic of Korea`s ironclad solidarity.”
The SMA is an essential part of the military alliance between the U.S. and South Korea, which has been in place since the Korean War in the 1950s. Currently, there are approximately 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, acting as a deterrent against North Korean aggression. The U.S. military presence also serves to support the security of the entire region.
The SMA negotiations were at times contentious, with South Korean officials expressing resistance to what they saw as U.S. demands for an exorbitant increase in contributions. However, both sides ultimately compromised, with the U.S. agreeing to a smaller increase in South Korea`s contribution and South Korea agreeing to seek the support of its parliament for the new SMA.
The new SMA has been welcomed by both countries, but its long delay and the contentious nature of the negotiations highlight the complexities of maintaining the U.S.-South Korea alliance. With North Korea continuing to pose a threat to regional security, and tensions between the U.S. and China rising, the importance of this alliance cannot be overstated. As such, the new SMA is an essential step towards ensuring the continued strength and stability of this essential partnership.
