WASHINGTON, D. C. — U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said South Korea should significantly increase its financial contribution toward hosting American troops, asserting that the country currently pays “very little” for U.S. military support.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump stated that South Korea should pay $10 billion annually to cover the costs associated with the U.S. military presence. He emphasized that the United States provides vital defense capabilities and economic benefits to the region.
Trump said that during his previous term, he negotiated an increase in South Korea’s payments, but that agreement was later reversed by the Biden administration. “We had a deal where they were going to pay a lot more,” Trump said.
Currently, under a five-year defense cost-sharing agreement, South Korea contributes approximately $1.47 billion in the first year, with future increases tied to its national defense budget.
Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a deployment viewed as a key component of regional security and a deterrent against North Korea.
The Trump administration has reopened talks with South Korea on defense cost-sharing, part of a broader push to reevaluate the financial terms of longstanding international military arrangements.
Officials from South Korea have not yet issued a formal response to Trump’s latest statements.
