[Southern + December 1 News] According to South Korean media reports, U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris stated on December 1 that South Korea and the United States are not only friends or allies, but also "family members." Based on the values that both sides deeply agree on, Their alliance relationship will remain unchanged.
Harris made the above remarks via a video link at a peace conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War in Seoul. He said that since the war, the alliance between the two countries has become stronger.
Harris said in a video message: “The United States and other countries have reached out to South Korea to help South Korea develop its own path and become a model democratic and economic power. The United States and South Korea are not only friends, but also not only allies. We are a family, and our alliance is unbreakable, and it will always be unbreakable." Z2z
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Wilkie also took the opportunity to emphasize the strong relationship between the two countries. Wilkie said: "The strength of our alliance is the strongest in history. We continue to support and help each other overcome various difficulties, especially in the face of new threats across borders." Z2z
Wilkie then donated 50 to South Korea in May. Ten thousand masks were given to American veterans and thanked them for helping them fight the epidemic.
With President-elect Biden of the United States pledged to defend the common values of the United States and South Korea, the US-South Korea alliance has once again received new attention. However, South Korea and the United States are facing thorny issues, such as the negotiation of a defense cost-sharing agreement. When the United States asked South Korea to substantially increase the cost-sharing, the negotiations have reached a deadlock.
Regarding the issue of the apportionment of US military expenditures in South Korea, many negotiations between the United States and South Korea ended in a "stalemate". The United States has always believed that South Korea should significantly increase the share of the share. South Korean legislators have long been impatient with the increasing cost requirements of the United States. In a negotiation last November, the two sides stopped the negotiation directly due to too big differences. In the end, they were unhappy. Scattered.
currently has approximately 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. The United States and South Korea have signed 10 U.S. military cost-sharing agreements since 1991. The 10th Garrison Expense Sharing Agreement expired on December 31, 2019, and the two parties failed to reach the 11th agreement before the agreement expired.
proofreading: Cao Baiying
