The results of negotiations between us and the United States have been announced. Although it was significantly less than the amount claimed by former US President Trump, the burden has grown more than in previous years.
Reporter Kim Hye-young will give more details.
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The total amount of national defense expenses this year will be KRW 1,183.3 billion.
This is a 13.9% increase from last year’s 1.38.9 trillion won, which was frozen at the scale last year.
The 13.9% increase rate was the last year’s defense expense increase of 7.4% plus the increase in labor costs for Korean workers in the USFK of 6.5%.
Compared to the $5 billion that former President Trump discussed with the alliance free ride, the amount was significantly reduced, and unlike the previous one, which was a one-year contract, he signed a six-year contract until 2025.
[정은보/한미 방위비분담협상대사 : (6년 협정 타결로) 주한미군의 안정적 주둔과 한국인 근로자의 안정적 고용에 기여하도록 하였습니다.]
However, the rate of increase is a burden.
In the past, we set an upper limit so that the annual increase rate does not exceed 4% by reflecting the inflation rate, but this time it was applied based on the rate of increase in defense expenses and there is no upper limit.
According to this standard, it is expected to increase by more than 6% annually in the future, and the contribution is expected to reach 1.5 trillion won in 2025.
[박원곤/이화여대 교수 : 전반적으로 비용 부담이 커질 수밖에 없고요. 우리 국방비 인상률을 매년 인상률의 준거로 삼는다는 것은 이것이 굉장히 잘못된 선례로 남을 수 있죠.]
The agreement comes into force after the signature of the diplomatic ministers of both Korea and the United States after the president’s approval and ratification by the National Assembly.
(Video coverage: Jung Seong-hwa·Kim Seong-il, Video editing: Jeong Seong-hun, CG: Jo Soo-in·Kang Yoon-jung)