Trump's push for Seoul to pay more for U.S. troops throws alliance into question and...

[soryang]

Trump's push for Seoul to pay more for U.S. troops throws alliance into question and puts Tokyo on notice
BY JESSE JOHNSON
STAFF WRITER

Japan Times
link is dated Nov. 3

Paying mercenaries’

Seoul’s concern is that a failure to meet Trump’s demands could compromise the American troop presence, which has helped defend the country against the North Korean threat for more than six decades. Those fears were amplified when Trump recently showed no qualms about pulling troops from Syria, abandoning America’s Kurdish allies, who have been a key force in the fight against the Islamic State group.

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris has attempted to assuage those concerns, telling South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo daily last month that there is “no need to worry” because America’s defense commitments are treaty-bound.

Still, Harris also confirmed Seoul’s worst fears. For the first time, the ambassador said that Trump is indeed asking for a fivefold SMA increase. Harris told the daily that from Washington’s perspective, South Korea is shouldering just a fifth of the total defense costs, and that as the world’s 12th-largest economy it should take on a bigger burden.

But this kind of rhetoric, analysts say, sends the wrong message to America’s geopolitical foes.

Much more: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/03/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/trump-south-korea-pay-troops-alliance-japan/#.XcLuOzNKhPZ

Excellent analysis of ongoing troubled SMA negotiations between US and South Korea. I'm not so sure about the implications for Japan, upon whom the US relies more heavily for the so called Asian pivot. Without Japan there is no Asian pivot. South Korea is much more vulnerable to overbearing US pressures. Is the US trying to affect the outcome of the April 15 South Korean National Assembly elections adversely against the democratic administration of Moon Jae-in? Polls show South Koreans in general don't want to pay more by a huge majority.

Link to tweet

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. All Putin needs to do is give the U.S. millions for our "common defense"

and Trump will dump all our other global allies in favor of Russia, because "Russia pays its fair share of our alliance, while NATO, Japan and South Korea are deadbeat freeloaders."

And the Republicans won't lift a finger to stop him because of, you know,"Trump's base."

[soryang]

2. A large number of US state dept/ national security staff met with Moon in Bangkok

...at the ASEAN meeting November 5 to try to browbeat the South Koreans into following US and Japanese demands.

Moon meets with newly appointed White House national security advisor in Bangkok
Posted on : Nov.5,2019 17:40 KST

In addition to (National Security Advisor) O’Brien, the US was represented during the meeting by Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger, US Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell, and several members of the National Security Council: Senior Director for Asia Allison Hooker, and Senior Director for Southeast Asia Julie Turner.

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/915896.html

The US demands are non-compliant with the Status of Forces Agreement between the two countries which do not provide for sharing US out of area defense expenditures. They simply aren't South Korea's obligation under existing the agreements, and the US side is making extraordinary unprecedented demands. The Korean negotiators say that the National Assembly will not ratify expenditures not provided for by treaty.

So the US sends their SMA negotiator without notice to Seoul to meet with members of the National Assembly to "sound them out." Politically, this is unlikely to be productive as Koreans as a people are not receptive to this kind of foreign pressure which gives the appearance of past historical abuses by foreign powers. This is why students trespassed on the US ambassadors compound after he publicly confirmed the US request for 5 billion dollars. The US representatives in their blind adherence to Trump's negotiating "strategy" are making the situation worse. One can't help but wonder if it isn't intentional. Otherwise the US team is stone deaf.

US chief negotiator in SMA negotiations makes surprise Seoul visit
Posted on : Nov.6,2019 Hankyoreh

Along with an off-the-record dinner with Chung Eun-bo, head of the South Korean negotiating team, DeHart is planning to meet with members of the National Assembly, the press, and US Forces Korea (USFK).

There is little precedent for an American chief negotiator to visit South Korea separately from the talks in a bid to gauge local public opinion. With the US reportedly pushing South Korea to fork over US$5 billion a year, nearly six times its current contribution, there’s growing discontent in the Korean public. DeHart’s visit appears designed to personally assess trends in South Korea and to communicate the US’ position.
...

“In the US, the officials and experts are going all out to take advantage of opinion in South Korea regarding defense costs and GSOMIA. South Korea’s politicians also need to actively speak out about the US’ unfair demands,” Cho advised.

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/916045.html

As shown in the graphic in the OP above, cited by a VOA source, the South Korean public is firmly opposed to what Trump and his representatives in Seoul are trying to pull off.