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https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/trump-us-troops-south-korea/index.html
Trump apparently threatens to withdraw US troops from South Korea over trade
By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
Updated 0421 GMT (1221 HKT) March 16, 2018
/
Duration Time 0:57
Source: CNN
WaPo: Trump admits he gave Trudeau false info 00:57
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to threaten to withdraw US troops from South Korea if he can't get a better trade deal with Seoul.
In a fundraising speech in Missouri, Trump told donors South Korea had become rich but that American politicians never negotiated better deals, according to audio obtained by The Washington Post and confirmed to CNN by an attendee.
"We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them," Trump said. "We lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military."
"We have right now 32,000 soldiers on the border between North and South Korea. Let's see what happens," Trump said.
The President went on to argue, "Our allies care about themselves. They don't care about us."
The two countries signed the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) in 2007 and, since then, trade between the two countries has grown. However, the US' trade deficit with Korea stood at $17.0 billion, according to figures from 2016.
On Friday, South Korean Finance Minister, Kim Dong-yeon, appeared to hit back at Trump's remarks.
"We don't think it's ideal to link an economic issue with such an issue [the withdrawal of US troops]," said Kim, while speaking on South Korean TBS radio.
"The South Korean government, with national interest of South Korea as priority, will consider striking a balance in the national economy and among multiple industries," said Kim.
"We have many issues to take into consideration dealing with the United States as well."
Kim's comments, the first by a senior member of the South Korean government, follow the arrival of South Korea's foreign minister in Washington to discuss the proposed face-to-face meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Longstanding ally
South Korea and the US maintain a longstanding defense partnership.
At the end of this month, joint military exercises involving tens of thousands of troops from both countries are set to resume, following their postponement during the Olympic Games.
Last year, the annual exercises, code-named Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, saw an estimated 3,600 additional US service members deployed to join the 28,000 US troops already based in South Korea to participate in the drills, which included ground, air, naval and special operations field exercises.
The United States and South Korea assert that the annual exercises, which have been carried out regularly for nearly 40 years, are strictly defensive and non-provocative.
Both exercises, according to US Forces Korea, are designed to "highlight the longstanding military partnership" between the two countries and improve stability and security on the Korean Peninsula.
However, the exercises usually draw a fierce response from North Korean.
During last year's drills, Pyongyang launched multiple missile tests and held a massive artillery exercise at the end of April.
The US and South Korea have maintained this year's drills will proceed as planned, despite the thawing in relations with the North.
CNN's Yoonjung Seo, Sophie Jeong, Steve George and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-...-korea-over-trade-issues-report-says-1.516910
Trump hints he may withdraw troops from S. Korea over trade issues, report says
MARCUS FICHTL/STARS AND STRIPES
By KIM GAMEL | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 15, 2018
SEOUL, South Korea — President Donald Trump hinted he may withdraw American troops from South Korea if the U.S. ally doesn’t concede more in trade negotiations, a newspaper reported.
The Washington Post quoted Trump as saying Wednesday in a fundraising speech that the United States was losing money on trade with South Korea as well as the military presence that is meant as protection against aggression from the North.
“We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them,” Trump said Wednesday in audio obtained by the Post. “We lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military. We have right now 32,000 soldiers between North and South Korea. Let’s see what happens.”
“Our allies care about themselves,” he said in the 30-minute speech to donors in Missouri. “They don’t care about us.”
Trump’s hard line on trade issues comes at a sensitive time as the U.S. and South Korea are preparing for planned talks with the North in coming weeks over its nuclear weapons program.
The administration is renegotiating a free-trade agreement with South Korea. It also has begun talks on sharing the cost of maintaining U.S. troops on the divided peninsula.
Trump also has said he will impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which would likely have a significant impact on South Korea as the third-largest exporter of steel to the United States.
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Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul-based think tank, said it doesn’t appear to be a serious threat but rather a negotiating tactic by Trump.
“I don’t think he has any real intention to pull out the troops from South Korea,” Choi said in a telephone interview. “But maybe he’d like to use the debt card.”
“It seems to me that he’s pressing the South Korean government to be more forthcoming about the trade issue and the burden-sharing issue,” he added.
However, Choi cautioned that such threats and Trump’s unpredictable personality could damage the alliance, which was forged during the 1950-53 Korean War. “There will be turbulence ahead in how we manage relations with the United States,” he said.
Duyeon Kim, a senior visiting fellow with the Korean Peninsula Future Forum in Seoul, said the withdrawal of U.S. forces would play into North Korea and China’s hands.
“Only Trump knows how serious his comments are, but even if it’s intended as ‘leverage’ in trade negotiations, it’s a poor one because that’s exactly what North Korea and China want,” she said in an email.
“It’s in America’s national interest to have a military presence on the Korean Peninsula. It would also be dangerous to withdraw troops while Pyongyang has nuclear weapons and capabilities,” she added.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on Trump’s remarks.
Trump made similar claims and threats about South Korea and other allies during his campaign for the presidency.
U.S. and South Korean negotiators met last week in Hawaii to begin what are expected to be contentious cost-sharing talks as the current special measures agreement is set to expire on Dec. 31.
Some 28,500 U.S. servicemembers are based in South Korea, although U.S. Forces Korea’s public affairs office said that number routinely swells to about 32,000 with rotational units and ongoing exercises.
Seoul’s contribution for non-personnel costs for U.S. forces is roughly $890 million this year, or just under half of the total. It also is footing most of the $10.7 billion bill for an expanded Army base south of Seoul that will eventually become the headquarters for the main command known as U.S. Forces Korea.
Efforts to withdraw U.S. troops from the peninsula are not unprecedented. Former President Jimmy Carter tried to do so in 1977 but failed after he faced major opposition, including from his own top advisers.
Past administrations also have reduced the number stationed in South Korea, including the redeployment of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team to Iraq in 2004.
[email protected]
Twitter: @kimgamel
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/trump-us-troops-south-korea/index.html
Trump apparently threatens to withdraw US troops from South Korea over trade
By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
Updated 0421 GMT (1221 HKT) March 16, 2018
/
Duration Time 0:57
Source: CNN
WaPo: Trump admits he gave Trudeau false info 00:57
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to threaten to withdraw US troops from South Korea if he can't get a better trade deal with Seoul.
In a fundraising speech in Missouri, Trump told donors South Korea had become rich but that American politicians never negotiated better deals, according to audio obtained by The Washington Post and confirmed to CNN by an attendee.
"We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them," Trump said. "We lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military."
"We have right now 32,000 soldiers on the border between North and South Korea. Let's see what happens," Trump said.
The President went on to argue, "Our allies care about themselves. They don't care about us."
The two countries signed the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) in 2007 and, since then, trade between the two countries has grown. However, the US' trade deficit with Korea stood at $17.0 billion, according to figures from 2016.
On Friday, South Korean Finance Minister, Kim Dong-yeon, appeared to hit back at Trump's remarks.
"We don't think it's ideal to link an economic issue with such an issue [the withdrawal of US troops]," said Kim, while speaking on South Korean TBS radio.
"The South Korean government, with national interest of South Korea as priority, will consider striking a balance in the national economy and among multiple industries," said Kim.
"We have many issues to take into consideration dealing with the United States as well."
Kim's comments, the first by a senior member of the South Korean government, follow the arrival of South Korea's foreign minister in Washington to discuss the proposed face-to-face meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Longstanding ally
South Korea and the US maintain a longstanding defense partnership.
At the end of this month, joint military exercises involving tens of thousands of troops from both countries are set to resume, following their postponement during the Olympic Games.
Last year, the annual exercises, code-named Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, saw an estimated 3,600 additional US service members deployed to join the 28,000 US troops already based in South Korea to participate in the drills, which included ground, air, naval and special operations field exercises.
The United States and South Korea assert that the annual exercises, which have been carried out regularly for nearly 40 years, are strictly defensive and non-provocative.
Both exercises, according to US Forces Korea, are designed to "highlight the longstanding military partnership" between the two countries and improve stability and security on the Korean Peninsula.
However, the exercises usually draw a fierce response from North Korean.
During last year's drills, Pyongyang launched multiple missile tests and held a massive artillery exercise at the end of April.
The US and South Korea have maintained this year's drills will proceed as planned, despite the thawing in relations with the North.
CNN's Yoonjung Seo, Sophie Jeong, Steve George and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-...-korea-over-trade-issues-report-says-1.516910
Trump hints he may withdraw troops from S. Korea over trade issues, report says
MARCUS FICHTL/STARS AND STRIPES
By KIM GAMEL | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 15, 2018
SEOUL, South Korea — President Donald Trump hinted he may withdraw American troops from South Korea if the U.S. ally doesn’t concede more in trade negotiations, a newspaper reported.
The Washington Post quoted Trump as saying Wednesday in a fundraising speech that the United States was losing money on trade with South Korea as well as the military presence that is meant as protection against aggression from the North.
“We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them,” Trump said Wednesday in audio obtained by the Post. “We lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military. We have right now 32,000 soldiers between North and South Korea. Let’s see what happens.”
“Our allies care about themselves,” he said in the 30-minute speech to donors in Missouri. “They don’t care about us.”
Trump’s hard line on trade issues comes at a sensitive time as the U.S. and South Korea are preparing for planned talks with the North in coming weeks over its nuclear weapons program.
The administration is renegotiating a free-trade agreement with South Korea. It also has begun talks on sharing the cost of maintaining U.S. troops on the divided peninsula.
Trump also has said he will impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which would likely have a significant impact on South Korea as the third-largest exporter of steel to the United States.
article continues below
related articles
Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul-based think tank, said it doesn’t appear to be a serious threat but rather a negotiating tactic by Trump.
“I don’t think he has any real intention to pull out the troops from South Korea,” Choi said in a telephone interview. “But maybe he’d like to use the debt card.”
“It seems to me that he’s pressing the South Korean government to be more forthcoming about the trade issue and the burden-sharing issue,” he added.
However, Choi cautioned that such threats and Trump’s unpredictable personality could damage the alliance, which was forged during the 1950-53 Korean War. “There will be turbulence ahead in how we manage relations with the United States,” he said.
Duyeon Kim, a senior visiting fellow with the Korean Peninsula Future Forum in Seoul, said the withdrawal of U.S. forces would play into North Korea and China’s hands.
“Only Trump knows how serious his comments are, but even if it’s intended as ‘leverage’ in trade negotiations, it’s a poor one because that’s exactly what North Korea and China want,” she said in an email.
“It’s in America’s national interest to have a military presence on the Korean Peninsula. It would also be dangerous to withdraw troops while Pyongyang has nuclear weapons and capabilities,” she added.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on Trump’s remarks.
Trump made similar claims and threats about South Korea and other allies during his campaign for the presidency.
U.S. and South Korean negotiators met last week in Hawaii to begin what are expected to be contentious cost-sharing talks as the current special measures agreement is set to expire on Dec. 31.
Some 28,500 U.S. servicemembers are based in South Korea, although U.S. Forces Korea’s public affairs office said that number routinely swells to about 32,000 with rotational units and ongoing exercises.
Seoul’s contribution for non-personnel costs for U.S. forces is roughly $890 million this year, or just under half of the total. It also is footing most of the $10.7 billion bill for an expanded Army base south of Seoul that will eventually become the headquarters for the main command known as U.S. Forces Korea.
Efforts to withdraw U.S. troops from the peninsula are not unprecedented. Former President Jimmy Carter tried to do so in 1977 but failed after he faced major opposition, including from his own top advisers.
Past administrations also have reduced the number stationed in South Korea, including the redeployment of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team to Iraq in 2004.
[email protected]
Twitter: @kimgamel
