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1 1 (December 10, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbgvz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 01;0i E.$~ & p\w -- , gnom goo mppm qq\ , q I aS 11LIANJILiN, December 10, 2019 U.S.-South Korea Alliance: Issues for Congress 4of AN a'' e South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is considered one of the United States' most important strategic and economic partners in Asia. The U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1953 at the end of the Korean War, commits the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). South Korean troops have fought in U.S.-led conflicts, including in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The United States includes South Korea under its nuclear umbrella, otherwise known as extended deterrence. The U.S. military has maintained a large troop presence in South Korea since the end of the Korean War. Currently, approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are based in the ROK, predominately Army personnel. Camp Humphreys, which will host most of the troops when completed, is the largest U.S. overseas military base in the world. The U.S.-ROK alliance is strained on several fronts. President Trump's periodic references to bringing U.S. troops home from the Peninsula and his criticism of the value of alliances more broadly have raised questions in Seoul about U.S. security commitments. Contentious burden-sharing negotiations face a December 31, 2019, deadline, just as North Korea threatens to return to provocations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in wants to complete the long-delayed process to transfer operational control of ROK forces in wartime to a South Korean general, which could lead to disagreements about the timing and conditions for the transition. In addition, growing differences in approach to dealing with North Korea and China could put increased pressure on the alliance. Th*\anse W t.RK Poky The threat from North Korea has framed the alliance since its formation. For years, the two militaries conducted regular bilateral exercises, enhancing their capability as a joint force in the event of the resumption of hostilities with the North. Under President Moon and President Trump both governments have pursued diplomacy with Pyongyang and the alliance has adjusted its activities. For example, at a summit with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June 2018, President Trump called for a cancellation of large-scale military exercises, declaring them very expensive and provocative. With the resumption of smaller, less public exercises in 2019, U.S. military officials assert that the alliance has maintained readiness, but some analysts warn that the reduction in joint exercises could damage alliance cohesion. In 2018, South Korea and North Korea signed a tension- reduction agreement known as the Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA). The CMA establishes land, sea, and air buffer zones in the heavily armed Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas and around the maritime border, called the Northern Limit Line. Implementation of the CMA required U.S. military officials to modify practices in the DMZ, including removing land mines and guard posts. While observers point to a marked reduction of tension in the DMZ, some critics maintain that the CMA-mandated changes reduced alliance readiness with little sacrifice in return from North Korea. Figure I. U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Bases . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... .... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .M .x Source.............. JanesSentinelSecurityAssessmentChinaao::r Asa d e o d p ,Q :. ........ .......... ... ... Negtiaion.inlate 2019 revealed shar.difference :,s between.Washington.and.Seoul.on.how.much.South.Korea should:contribute to offset U.S.:costs to stat:: ion t on: :X the::peninsula.:These:negotiations.on.cost-sharing arrangements known as ..the.Special.Measures Agreement or SMA generally..occur.every.five.years. The:cu::ent:talksaim to.renew.theaccord signed...... February 2019 ..that.raised.South.Korea's.previous.annual con~trib~utio...baproimtel. Pressreports indicate::::.:. that the Trump Administration now is.. asking.South.Korea payme:nts acmnatno i n-kiuiy sesmn -hn and eas conibu dti onselrl into the2 atgres1aor(aare.o thegorains who work on1 U.S.eaes);r loiics;rnde cstucticonr(byt RoK ofirsef U.S. facilistties).roInsthe Tcurrent talks a.Side addanew cate sgory of readinhess Thatp Apmnturaaiety nof othe costs Southoe Kore thast baleduth threa U.S.fire pand many observer $800 million annualy) of.the total no-personnel costs o maitanin te ....oop.pre.sen.e..i..So..th.Korea. ROK .payments.a.com.i..tion ...f..n-kind .a....... contributions...ll ..nt ..th ....ategories... ab... (sala.ies.fo theKoeas.howok.n............................... constru ction.......................S. c lii ...... current taks ...................................... readiness.that...ptures....riety ......her.... ts.... ut K or a h s alk d tt e . ...............................

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