Seoul hikes payments to US troopsSEOUL: Seoul said Sunday it agreed to hike its payment for maintaining American troops on its soil, settling a dispute with its longtime ally ahead of a second summit between the US and North Korea. The negotiations ended with South Korea’s foreign ministry saying Seoul would pay about 1.04 trillion won (US$924 million) in 2019, 8.2 percent more than what it offered under a previous five-year pact which expired at the end of last year. The ministry said that although the US had demanded a “huge increase” in payment, they were able to reach an agreement that reflects “the security situation of the Korean peninsula.” “The two countries reaffirmed… the importance of a strong South Korea-US alliance and the need for a stable stationing of the US troops,” it said in a statement issued after a signing ceremony. The row had raised concern that Trump may use it as an excuse for US withdrawal.

Source: Manila Times February 11, 2019 16:18 UTC