N. Korea slams S. Korea, U.S. over defense cost-sharing deal

North Korea 17:09 August 22, 2019

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's official news agency on Thursday lashed out at South Korea and the United States over their upcoming negotiations on sharing the cost for the upkeep of American troops here, denouncing Washington as "gangster-like" and Seoul as "submissive."

The criticism came as the allies have been bracing for talks on how much Seoul will pay next year for the stationing of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). The current defense cost-sharing deal is set to expire at the end of the year.

"As known, the presence of the U.S. forces in South Korea is pursuant to the U.S. strategic purpose to perpetuate the country's division and put the world under its control," the Korean Central News Agency said in a commentary.

Apparently referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier remark about dealing with South Korea over the issue, the commentary said "such insulting words are openly heard from the U.S. that it is much easier to get defense funds from South Korea than to collect an apartment rent."

Earlier this month, Trump was quoted by the New York Post as saying during a fundraising event for his reelection campaign that, "It was easier to get a billion dollars from South Korea than to get US$114.13 from a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn."

"The U.S. gangster-like act of considering South Korea as a target of plunder and a faithful servant for meeting its greedy interests is an inevitable result produced by the South Korean authorities' servile policy submitting to the U.S.," the commentary said.

According to a foreign ministry official Thursday, the allies could begin the defense cost-sharing negotiations as early as the middle of next month.

Under this year's 10th Special Measures Agreement, Seoul agreed to pay 1.04 trillion won ($861.6 million), an increase of 8.2 percent from the previous year.

The next round of negotiations is expected to be tough as Trump has been increasing pressure on Seoul to jack up its financial contribution to the USFK.