In a jaw-dropping claim that has sent shockwaves through Seoul, Donald Trump declared that South Korea should pay a staggering $10 billion annually for the protection of US troops stationed on the peninsula. “If I were there now, they would be paying us $10 billion a year, and they’d be happy to do it!” he proclaimed during a recent interview.
This outrageous assertion has alarmed South Korean officials, who are already grappling with rising tensions from North Korea. Contrary to Trump’s claims, Seoul currently pays around $1.02 billion a year for approximately 28,500 US troops, with plans to increase that amount to about $1.09 billion by 2026.
Experts warn that such excessive demands could weaken the critical US-South Korea alliance and stoke anti-American sentiment among the public. With North Korea ramping up military provocations, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Trump’s political aspirations collide with geopolitical realities, South Korea stands at a crossroads, grappling with the uncertainty of its defense future.
