US, ROK sign defense deal aimed at Trump-proofing alliance, day before election



News US, ROK sign defense deal aimed at Trump-proofing alliance, day before election Agreement outlines cost-sharing for US troop presence to counter North Korea, as Seoul braces for Harris or Trump Jeongmin Kim \| Joon Ha Park November 5, 2024 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Phillip Goldberg and ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul sign their copies of the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) document on Nov. 4, 2024 \| Image: ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs The U.S. and South Korea formally signed their new defense cost-sharing deal on Monday, a move that appears aimed at Trump-proofing the alliance built to deter North Korea as American voters head to the polls. Seoul also signaled its intent to “respond appropriately” no matter who wins the U.S. election on Tuesday, though experts anticipated bigger changes to DPRK policy if the former president returns to office. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg signed the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) at the ROK foreign ministry building, with military representatives from both sides signing an implementation © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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US, ROK sign defense deal aimed at Trump-proofing alliance, day before election

Agreement outlines cost-sharing for US troop presence to counter North Korea, as Seoul braces for Harris or Trump

Jeongmin Kim | Joon Ha Park November 5, 2024

US, ROK sign defense deal aimed at Trump-proofing alliance, day before election

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Phillip Goldberg and ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul sign their copies of the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) document on Nov. 4, 2024 | Image: ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The U.S. and South Korea formally signed their new defense cost-sharing deal on Monday, a move that appears aimed at Trump-proofing the alliance built to deter North Korea as American voters head to the polls.

Seoul also signaled its intent to “respond appropriately” no matter who wins the U.S. election on Tuesday, though experts anticipated bigger changes to DPRK policy if the former president returns to office.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg signed the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) at the ROK foreign ministry building, with military representatives from both sides signing an implementation

About the Authors

Jeongmin Kim

Jeongmin Kim is Executive Director at Korea Risk Group, based in Seoul. She covers inter-Korean relations and North and South Korean foreign and military affairs. Kim has covered the 2022 ROK presidential election on the ground, and prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency’s Seoul bureau.

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Joon Ha Park

Joon Ha Park is a correspondent at Korea Risk Group. He has previously written on issues related to the two Koreas at The Peninsula Report, and appeared on ABC News Australia, Deutsche Welle and Monocle Radio. He specializes in offering in-depth analyses of South Korea’s defense policy, security relations and domestic politics for Korea Pro.

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