[정치]13.9% increase in defense costs this year…1,183.3 billion won

[정치]13.9% increase in defense costs this year…1,183.3 billion won

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Applied for 6 years from 2020 to 2025… Last year’s contributions were frozen
7~8% of recent increase in defense spending… Expected to increase defense costs
Provision of labor costs for Korean workers even when the agreement is blank
After the approval of the National Assembly… Government “Efforts to take effect immediately”

[앵커]

With the conclusion of the Korea-US defense cost share negotiations, the amount to be borne by Korea this year is set at KRW 1.83 trillion, an increase of 13.9% from the previous year.

The contribution was frozen last year, but it will be linked to the growth rate of defense expenditures in the future, and it is expected that a considerable increase will continue in the future.

This is reporter Kim Do-won.

[기자]

After a year and a half of negotiations, the main details of the 11th Korea-US Defense Cost Sharing Special Agreement were revealed.

First of all, this year’s contribution was KRW 1.83 trillion, an increase of 13.9% from last year.

The increase rate of 13.9% is the result of adding 7.4% of the increase in defense spending last year and 6.5% of the increase in labor costs for Korean workers in the USFK.

This agreement will be applied for six years from last year to 2025.

Last year, when the agreement was vacant, the contribution was frozen at the level of the previous year.

However, from next year, it has been decided to link with the increase rate of defense spending from the previous year.

If this happens, next year’s contribution will be KRW 1.2 trillion, an increase of 5.4% this year’s defense expenditure growth rate.

[정은보 / 한미 방위비분담 협상대사 : 국방비 증가율은 우리의 재정능력과 국방력을 반영하고 국회 심의를 통해 확정되며 국민 누구나 확인 가능하다는 점에서 신뢰할 만한 합리적인 기준입니다.]

If the rate of increase in defense spending reaches 7-8%, as in the first half of the government, defense costs will rise accordingly.

In addition, to prevent the recurrence of unpaid leave for Korean workers in the USFK, we have stipulated that labor costs can be paid at the level of the previous year when the agreement is vacated.

This agreement is finalized after the two countries sign the agreement and ratify it by the National Assembly.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the agreement will contribute to strengthening the ROK-US alliance and the combined defense posture, and that the agreement will take effect as soon as possible.

This is YTN Kim Do-won.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]

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